Recently, I did something that would probably make most college counselors cringe: I told my students to get more F's. Not the grade kind (though honestly, even those aren't the end of the world), but the fun kind.
I know, I know. Fun and college applications don't usually go together. We're trained to think college admissions is this serious, high-stakes game where one wrong move could ruin everything. But here's what I've learned from watching hundreds of students struggle through brainstorming: the more seriously they take it, the worse their ideas get.
Think about it—when was the last time you had your best creative breakthrough while stressed, panicked, and staring at a blank document at 11 PM? Exactly. Never.
This Week's Insight
Your brain literally works better when you're having fun—and admissions officers can tell the difference.
Shawn Achor's research shows that when we're in a positive state, our brains become 31% more productive, 37% better at problem-solving, and significantly more creative. But somehow, we've convinced ourselves that college essay brainstorming requires suffering.
Here's what students tell me about their current brainstorming approach:
1. "I struggle finding meaningful essay topics. I'm not very good at writing personal essays and I feel like my writing sounds awkward and too factual when talking about things that I have encountered or done."
2. "I have a few ideas in mind, but I'm not always sure which ones actually say something meaningful about me versus just sounding impressive on paper."
3. "I struggle a lot with my essays, particularly when asked to describe the challenges I have endured... I want feedback on how I can highlight my experiences more, while also sharing a story that is meaningful to me."
Notice the pattern? They're stuck in their analytical minds, trying to reverse-engineer what will "work" instead of discovering what's actually true about them.
But when I had students brainstorm using Avatar: The Last Airbender elemental archetypes (yes, really), something really cool happened. Suddenly, our group of "water tribe students" started talking bout how they embodied qualities such as—adaptability, turning challenges into successes, staying cool under pressure.
Two students related with each other over how they felt they embodied adaptability through moving around a lot growing up and having to create a sense of home for herself even in the middle of new and unfamiliar environments.
This Week's Reflection
Before you dive into "serious" essay brainstorming, ask yourself:
What's one thing I genuinely enjoy talking about—maybe something I get so excited discussing that I lose track of time or forget to check my phone?
This doesn't have to be academic or impressive. Maybe it's analyzing K-pop choreography, debating Marvel movie plot holes, or explaining why your favorite video game has the best character development. The point isn't the topic itself—it's creating your own fun which then leads to energy, enthusiasm and effort to what’s usually a very painful, tedious brainstorming process
I know, WTF - what the fun right?
This Week's Action Step
Try "ridiculous" brainstorming for 20 minutes.
Pick any framework that sounds fun to you—zodiac signs, Hogwarts houses, Disney characters, your favorite TV show personalities, whatever. Then spend 20 minutes exploring:
- Which character/type am I most like and why?
- What specific examples from my life demonstrate these qualities?
- How have these traits shown up in different situations?
- What challenges have I faced that this character would understand?
Write in your actual voice, like you're texting a friend who's obsessed with the same thing. Use slang, get excited, include details that make you laugh.
Don't worry about connections yet—just collect moments. As I told my students: "The biggest issue high-achieving students have is that they've spent years doing meaningful things, but when it comes time for admissions, they can't remember what's notable because they're doing it under pressure a few weeks before the deadline."
Build your database now. If you did this semi-regularly until you apply, you'll have an encyclopedia of moments to draw from. The connections will become obvious when you have enough material to work with.
The goal isn't to write your actual essay about being Hermione Granger or having "big Scorpio energy." The goal is to bypass your inner critic and access stories, qualities, and insights that you wouldn't have found through traditional brainstorming.
Your brain already knows your most authentic stories—you just need to give it permission to play!
Note: The exact framework (Avatar vs any other story/franchise) doesn't matter as much as what it is intended to unlock: permission to explore their authentic qualities without the pressure of "Will this sound impressive to admissions officers?". For example, students could just as well do a similar brainstorm using K-pop Demon Hunters and identify how they embody qualities they appreciate or admire from each of the three lead protagonists.
Next Week Preview
Alright, time for some real talk. Next week we're diving into something that's definitely NOT fun but absolutely necessary: procrastination. With school ramping up and application deadlines lurking around the corner, we need to address the elephant in the room.
Why do you suddenly find yourself reorganizing your entire room instead of working on essays? What's really behind that urge to scroll TikTok "just for five minutes" that turns into three hours? And most importantly—what can you actually do about it that doesn't involve just "trying harder"?
We'll explore where procrastination really comes from (spoiler: it's usually not laziness) and practical strategies that work with your brain instead of against it. Please look forward to it—your future self will thank you!
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Til next week!
Fei
