MindSumo has partnered with Flatiron Books, a Macmillan imprint, to publish a book consisting of a series of essays to help recent college graduates get off to a great start in their “Freshman Year of Life”. The book consists of a series of essays (based on topics selected by MindSumo users) written by authors, podcasters, bloggers, and actors. We are looking to fill the remaining few essay slots left with essays written by you! Please pick one of the following topics:
- Money managementThe essays in this book will be true personal stories of life after college. The stories should tell the reader about the author, and impart a relevant lesson about taking this next step in life. We want to include people from all walks of life that have recently finished school.- Seeking mental or physical health care
- Sex/body positivity
- Sex and casual dating post-college
- Going to graduate school
- Living with your parents
- Stories set in rural areas or non-coastal cities
- Another topic that speaks to you or that you'd like to share (excluding: moving to New York, long distance break ups, surviving unpaid internships)
Share an essay of a true personal story that teaches a lesson to those graduating or about to graduate from college
1. Make the title of your essay the title of your submission and put your topic (in parenthesis) after it.
2. Please provide 1-2 sentences that include anything you'd like us to know about you and your background.
3. Write an essay (approximately 1,000 words) consisting of a true personal story and implied lesson as it relates to your life about one of the topics above or one of your own choosing.
Your story should include a concrete moment that occurred in the years following graduation and how it affected you, to be explained to a recent grad about to begin that journey.
Things to consider:
- Broad audience: We want all students and recent grads to purchase this book as a first step into real life.
- Share! Personal stories that come from the heart and real experience that had an impact on you are best
- Get published! Essays from this contest that are selected as winners have a chance to be published in the release of Freshman Year of Life, this could be a great opportunity for your writing to be published!
-
Submissions will be graded on the following criteria:
- Meets Deliverables
- Creativity
- Clarity
| Top 10% share $1,000 | Next 15% share $400 | Next 25% share $200 |
| $333.30 |
|
Nisha Bhat University of Pittsburgh | |
| $333.30 |
|
Aileen Garcia University of Nebraska - Lincoln | |
| $333.30 |
|
Cameron Summers University of Michigan | |
| $100.00 |
|
Lauren Wachenfeld Washington University in St. Louis | |
| $100.00 |
|
Victoria Hancock Bentley University | |
| $100.00 |
|
Jenna Slagle The Ohio State University | |
| $100.00 |
|
Rachel Young Michigan State University | |
| $28.60 |
|
Janet Acosta New York University | |
| $28.60 |
|
Christine Keefe Georgia State University | |
| $28.60 |
|
Hayley Blackburn Colorado State University | |
| $28.60 |
|
Eric Verso Stanford University | |
| $28.60 |
|
Miles White University of South Florida | |
| $28.60 |
|
Nicholas Parsons Harvard University | |
| $28.60 |
|
Anh Vu University of Southern California |
