why do men have nipples | common app essay

this is my common app personal statement. it is 648 words. i spent a very long time on it. enjoy.
thank you appsademia for inspiring the idea for this video! her essay is super awesome and can be found here: • Video
fun fact: the words that i read are in prose-form, the words that appear on the screen i wrote in verse-form in my essay
ahhh i apologize for all the typos! i was editing this at like 2 am whoops -____-

[@aarongould3538]

Oh my god my essays are so bad

[@Ange-or2np]

Thanks for sharing your essay with us. Now I know that I should remove all of my reach schools from my common app account to save the several hundred dollars of application fees.

[@MyNainoa]

I thought the style of writing was really nice, I would love to see how you formatted it. What I thought was most interesting is how the narrative began to decay about 3/5ths of the way through and turned more into abstract thought and poetry. Honestly, really interesting to see such an experimental style in an essay so important. Inspiring, even.

[@PragyaChawla2076]

I could listen to this 1000000 times without getting bored

[@eleniarizona]

thanks! :D

[@PragyaChawla2076]

update: i wrote a poetic essay kinda like yours and got in

[@eleniarizona]

YES CONGRATS THAT'S AMAZING

[@Nanami_X_Higurama]

@@PragyaChawla2076 you got into StanFord ??!!! Congratulations even though I'm late at this , but can you please share your extracurriculars please

[@PragyaChawla2076]

This is the most beautiful essay I have ever read

[@tahajawad9492]

Hearing this with my application deadline in less than 18 hours i have just realized how mediocre my essay really is.

[@InnovationBlast]

I really like it Eleni! I'm writing (or rather rewriting) ((or rather rerewriting)) my personal now and I'm scared as shit. I'm having trouble committing to one idea, I feel so insecure

[@RambleOn]

Hey! How'd it go??

[@reginaalfaro148]

I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE OMFG I USE TO WATCH YOUR VIDEOS BUT STOPPED WATCHING BECAUSE THEY WERE A BIT BORING. BUT THIS MADE ME SUBSCRIBE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS I LOVE IT SO MUCH. THE MOST APPEALING ASPECT OF YOUR ESSAY WAS THAT YOU WERE SIMPLE IN VOCABULARY YET SOPHISTICATED IN FORMAT!!!

[@eleniarizona]

hahahah thank you!

[@64_bit80]

I really wish this wasn't the first essay sample I previewed; it's so fucking good that I get paralyzed starting my essays from fear of not being able to reach this depth. Like watching a 10/10 movie and scrutinizing everything else because it's not as good

[@maxlangenkamp2523]

What was the question you were answering? Really dig the repetition and reinforcement of the symbols to create this resonance within the essay btw

[@eleniarizona]

prompt number 1 about like a central background, interest, identity, or talent. thank you!

[@fabulamesam]

YYOO this essay is incredibly inspiring. loveee it

[@eleniarizona]

thanks!! :D

[@Karen-zv4hf]

I really really love your essay. It is so well written. Congrats on getting in! I didn't really understand the "noxious red and black with fangs" part ( at 2:48 ). Does it have some metaphorical meaning?

[@tallmommy]

Love your style and the authenticity in your essay! You must have been very courageous (and very afraid) to mention the word "nipples" in a college application essay, but I bet you do not regret doing it. ;)

[@eleniarizona]

thank you! :D

[@shyeyebee]

This was amazing. It's no mere flattery when I say this left me awestruck.

[@troywilliams5074]

Did u just say water is wet don't get me started

[@eleniarizona]

LOLLLL

[@bunnyplusdeer]

I loved this so much! thanks for sharing:)

[@eleniarizona]

thank you!

[@marklee8819]

No doubt this is a beautiful essay... as I see the theme of the essay is around having intellectual curiosity, I would bet many thousands of top college applicants have similar intellectual curiosity as well (asking tons of questions since little, going out to look for answers, etc.... frankly, it seems quite typical of many top students I have seen).... but many people are just not able to write as well, despite potentially having even more demonstrated curiosity through accomplished awards and activities outside of school. After watching various youtube videos on essays written by Ivy/Stanford admitted students, it seems clear that good writers are given huge advantages over others.... not saying it's right or wrong.... but I have seen many cases of a good writer getting admitted over an ok-writer with demonstrated stronger intellectual curiosity (not through words but awards and accomplishments)... Other than it's a beautifully written essay, I frankly don't know I found anything unique about the writer, as intellectual curiosity is in all the top applicants.

[@eleniarizona]

you know, i was actually just discussing this with a few of my friends the other day, and we came to the consensus that if it were truly the case that everyone at stanford got in because of their amazing writing skills, it would hardly make sense that pwr 1 (our freshman year writing requirement) is commonly known as one of the most dreaded classes

[@marklee8819]

couple of potential reasons it's dreaded... a good portion of students are admitted because (1) superb in something (recruited athletes, musician, etc.) but not good writer (2) legacy (3) simply academically super brilliant in certain field (but not a good writer)...(4) extreme case -- someone else helped repackage their essays..... another thought.... it's likely that all the Stanford students who publish on youtube tend to be very good communicators / presenters (and writers).. a bit of self-selecting process. The folks admitted based on the reasons I have listed above (1-4) are not likely going to be sharing their essays online... my point remain that unless you are in the 1-4 group (maybe, there is 5 and 6 :)), ability to write well seems to be the key differentiator. I'm not criticizing the system... it is my observation.... cheers and enjoy Stanford. I'm simply doing research for my son who might apply to Stanford.

[@hahahamaxine]

i love your voice!!! really beautiful writing too heh

[@eleniarizona]

thanks!

[@ronawang4575]

ok but why DO men have nipples

[@eleniarizona]

v good q. google says: all embryos start out as females. if there's no y chromosome an embryo will continue to develop as a female. if there is a y chromosome, testosterone will prevent the development of breasts so that they become just nipples

[@ronawang4575]

so u r basically saying that even tho we r socialized to believe that "male" is normal (hence tropes like the "everyman"), actually female is The Normal

[@eleniarizona]

yeee

[@eleniarizona]

astute observation (y)

[@ashleytsang9752]

This has really inspired me :)

[@itstinag490]

That was such a great essay

[@eleniarizona]

thanks!

[@zeezas1241]

Okay wow, I honestly thought this was a joke at first, but this was incredible. Thank you for sharing it!!

[@divyyy4358]

Beautiful is an understatement.

[@alialsaman7862]

This was so powerful, I cried

[@meatbunluver123]

elaa, you're amazing

[@eleniarizona]

:')

[@user-su3qd5hu5j]

that was beautiful

[@AlvinGuoSubscribe]

This was beautiful holy

[@danielgultom5859]

This is so amazing

[@eleniarizona]

thank you!

[@jaredtewodros]

Could you show us your other drafts for this prompt?

[@ariana6318]

Hi! This was a beautiful, inspiring essay ... Im really trying to get into a great college, How much did you get on your SAT? Thank again for sharing this beautiful essay

[@eleniarizona]

thank you! you can check out my how i got into stanford video for more info on that

[@Majestic469]

Sequel: why do women have... nvm But lol great essay!

[@HankTheTank23]

Why did sound like she had a gun to her head while reading it?

[@cadeeborg5776]

I want to get into stanford but I have no idea what I should write about! How did you decide your topic?

[@eleniarizona]

i brainstormed a lot of topics a few months before apps were due and tried writing about each of them and then in the end i just chose my favorite one

[@vibhadeshiikan4989]

Aah I have an app due and I just changed my topic for like the millionth time. It's a similar topic but I am approaching it differently. I lovee this though

[@zaralicious]

u frikin rock

[@eleniarizona]

hahaha thanks :D

[@collectiveworld_TIKTOK]

My Google Assistant kept activating while you were talking I'm like yeah she's saying question but she's not saying her name Google and yes I found out Google is a her and she's always right

[@MetFansince]

Good essay!

[@veronica-je6hq]

The tittle though...

[@AimlessMusic]

which prompt was this for?

[@eleniarizona]

prompt number 1 about like a central background, interest, identity, or talent

[@tulipiscute]

I love this

[@marialittle3584]

My experience with myeasypaper.com is beyond all my expectations. I would never writer such a good paper! Many kisses and thanks to the writer. 😍😍😍

[@ThePinksparkle101]

Can I ask you about your extra curricular activities such as clubs, volunteer, sports, etc.?

[@eleniarizona]

check out my "how i got into stanford" video!

[@anjopag31]

exemplary, christ

[@pianolover168]

❤️❤️❤️

[@MrThejuice00]

This sucks

[@eleniarizona]

HAHAHAHAHAHAAHA ok buddy get yourself a like to dislike ratio like the one on this video and get back to me on that :))))))))

[@ronawang4575]

yasss eleni roast him

[@minseochoi7284]

LMFAOOO

[@shashwatguragain5929]

You rock!

[@thomasdang4860]

Terrible! Sounds like a hot load of BS.

[@emilypreston4938]

Thomas Dang good thing you aren’t in charge of Stanford admissions I guess

[@Ange-or2np]

take your raggedy ass elsewhere gollum

[@pineapplesims1238]

I love this

[@eleniarizona]

thank you!