This was my Harvard admissions essay written in 1997. I kid you not. Enjoy the prose of seventeen year-old John:
TOPIC: Evaluate a significant experience that has special meaning to you.
Shivering outside the Burlington Cinema one cold January eve, we waited for our rides home. The frigid night air stole all the warmth from our noses but could not lift the smiles from our faces. Awe-stricken and silent, my friends and I had just experienced the re-release of the original "Star Wars." Something lingered from the occasion, something which distinguished this movie from any other I had seen before. I only knew it subconsciously then, but now I comprehend it. "Star Wars" is a contemporary embodiment of an antiquated myth, furnishing both encouragement and hope to a new generation. That is why it was, and remains to be, so inspiring.
As a society, we no longer believe in ancient folklore or fables anymore. It's not because the stories have changed; it's because the people have. Modern audiences know there aren't any dragons in nearby caves or distant damsels in distress. Science and reasoning have explained almost all of what happens in our environment, thereby eradicating the fear and mystery of the earthly unknown. However in the immense playground of space, anything is possible, and this is where "Star Wars" draws its feasibility. "In a galaxy far, far away," there could very well be a mysterious force binding all life together as well as a dark knight serving an evil emperor. "Star Wars" resurrects many of the forgotten myths in this new context and by doing so convinces the audience to believe in them. Consequently, it renews a lost feeling of hope.
The hope is that there is a destiny for mankind, and that destiny is a great one. "Star Wars" predicts a technological future where the good guys win and there's always a happy ending. In our modern day society where doing the right thing is often confusing, "Star Wars" makes the choice simple. The villains are centralized, and the objective is clear. "Star Wars" is a dream of better times ahead which allows us to try and make that dream a reality. This positive encouragement aids the progress of humanity as well as uplifts the individual.
Sitting in the Burlington Cinema last January, my friends and I felt the "Star Wars" experience for the first time. Perhaps it was the enormous movie screen or the roaring special effects that generated that sensation, but likely not. I believe it was sitting amongst friends and really getting excited about a fairy tale that inspired us. I will never forget it. Furthermore, the phenomenon need not be isolated. Anyone can sit down and watch this great epic. Even if one isn't cognizant of why "Star Wars" is such an exceptional movie, one still gets that reassuring feeling. It is the feeling that things will get better. For generations to come, "Star Wars" will continue to give smiles to faces, even on cold, winter evenings...something life's frigid night air will never take away.