“The World I Come From”

An extraordinary college essay written by Gabrielle Schneiderman about the day of her brother’s car accident and the emotional response their family had to it.

One could not avoid the playful yellow words hanging encouragingly on the classroom wall even if he or she tried. They reminded me that “today is a great day to learn something new.” Routinely, my math teacher wrote her notes in multiple colors, supposedly helpful in stimulating our desire to learn. Beneath my notebook, which was so stark white it appeared to crave my pen’s ink, was my tenth grade Algebra 2 textbook, carefully written to prepare me for any problem I would face on the final exam. Everything was in its proper place, just awaiting its signal to help me succeed. Continue Reading »