Please choose one of the following quotes and prompts for your essay submission:
1. In bed at night, as I ponder my many sins and exaggerated shortcomings, I get so confused by the sheer amount of things I have to consider that I either laugh or cry, depending on my mood. Then I fall asleep with the strange feeling of wanting to be different than I am or being different than I want to be, or perhaps of behaving differently than I want to be.” -Saturday, November 28, 1942
Prompt: Do you ever want to be different than you are? How do you deal with these feelings? How do you think young people can be better at accepting themselves (even as they strive for growth and development in a healthy way)?
2. “I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, look at the world, feel young and know that I’m free, and yet I can’t let it show.” - Friday, December 24, 1943
Prompt: What makes you feel free?
3. “I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I’ve never met. I want to go on living even after my death!...When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived! But, and that’s the big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer? I hope so, oh, I hope so very much, because writing allows me to record everything, all my thoughts, ideals and fantasies.” -Wednesday, April 5, 1944
Prompt: What do you dream of doing creatively in your life and what are your hopes and fears about this?
4. “To our great sorrow and dismay, we’ve heard that many people have changed their attitude towards us Jews. We’ve been told that anti-Semitism has cropped up in circles where once it would have been unthinkable. The reason for hatred is understandable, maybe even human, but that doesn’t make it right.” -Monday, May 22, 1944
Prompt: Tell us about discrimination in your life. What have you or someone you love suffered in judgement for who you or they are. How did you deal with the situation?
5. “Is it really such an admirable trait not to let myself be influenced by others? Am I right in following my own conscience?” -Thursday, July 6, 1944
Prompt: Recall a time when you were influenced by others in a way that you felt badly about later.
