Essay by CHARLOTTE GUTERMAN admitted into Hamilton College

Source: https://www.hamilton.edu/admission/apply/college-essays-that-worked

When I was still small enough to fit in the sun-drenched space between the armoire and the couch, I sat cross-legged and spun the world. My globe stood upright, supported by a smooth base and almost as tall as I was. Labeled in sepia tones with creases for valleys and three-dimensional mountain ranges, it was the kind that makes you want to run your hands over every country, that begs to be explored.

I used to whirl this world recklessly, close my eyes, point a finger, and imagine living wherever I landed: in ...