Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Thesis and Essay Ideas

I've been thinking about what to do for a senior thesis project, and - as of now - I've decided to explore the ways in which Kirk and Spock's relationship is depicted on the science fiction show "Star Trek." In this project, I will endeavor to analyze the various scenes - referencing the actors' techniques as well as the filming/camera techniques - that depict Kirk and Spock, and explain how they function in the greater story arc. Possible products for this thesis include a series of short commentary-type essays, each accompanied by a picture of the respective scene, or an oral presentation with video clips of the scenes themselves. I chose this thesis topic because I wanted to combine my love of Star Trek and the Kirk/Spock pairing with my propensity for analysis and commentary. Academic fannishness for the win!

As for my college essay, I am going to use one of the Common App essay prompts (copied below) and talk about choir, as it is my main extracurricular activity. I'm going into this process thinking about the essay as less of an essay and more of a creative writing assignment, because I feel that my writing is a lot better if I take a more creative approach to it. I was also excited because I'd been thinking about doing this as my Common App essay for several months, but I was not aware that Common App was getting rid of the 'topic of your choice' prompt, so I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to write about my choir experiences. Luckily, this prompt turned up on this year's list of prompts, which made me happy! I am excited to get started on this essay.


Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?