Your Name And Your Hook

We hope that everyone was inspired by today's Essay Workshop with Ryan Hargraves from UVA! It is an understatement to say that I personally enjoyed seeing the Class of 2011 participate so enthusiastically and I was especially wowed by those brave souls who stood in line to share their "hooks" with the class. GREAT job ladies!!! Since it is essay writing season, I thought I would share excerpts of an essay from one of last year's seniors, Erin Gallagher. If you knew Erin, I am sure you will agree that you can 100% hear her voice in this essay. Enjoy!!!!

Excerpts from Visi Girls by Erin Gallagher

“Visi Girls” wear spandex under their skirts, t-shirts under their polos, and brand new boat shoes. Almost all of my pants are long and denim, two shirts are too much for me, and my deck shoes have seen an entire summer of dirt, water, wood, and sand.
“Visi Girls” wear ribbons in their hair. My hair isn’t long enough for ribbons, even if I could ever get those stupid strips of cloth to do what I want them to.
“Visi Girls” run. They run after soccer balls, tennis balls, basketballs, or to the finish line. I sail. I tack. I jibe. I tighten. I luff. I lean over the high side of a keeling Flying Scott, ignoring the water’s spray as I cut through whitecaps, laughing as hard as I can.
“Visi Girls” walk into the classroom, panicking because they were up all night studying for the math test and Oh my God! I can’t remember anything! What is the tangent of a 45-degree angle in radians? I look up from reading The Historian and say, “There’s a test today? Eh, I’m dead.”
“Visi Girls” came to Georgetown Visitation because of its challenging academic curriculum, its impeccable reputation, and its amazing athletic program. I came to Georgetown Visitation because of its ability to turn me into “a woman of faith, vision, and purpose.” I came because I wanted to spend my high school years at a school where I could develop confidence, self-esteem, and life-long friendships. I wanted to become someone who will be able to face the world without crumbling and to acquire qualities that will carry me through life. It hasn’t been perfect, but not one of us will walk away disappointed.
“Visi Girls” are friendly and welcoming.
“Visi Girls” are White Team Bears and Gold Team Tigers.
“Visi Girls” know within five minutes when there are boys or food on campus—not necessarily in that order.
“Visi Girls” say things like “Sen10rs,” “Relig,” and “This (insert class assignment here) is killing me!”
I am passionate, somewhat disorganized, supremely verbose, hyperactive, creative to a fault, and a compulsive writer. Clearly, I’m not the typical “Visi Girl.” I am nothing like my classmates, but that is okay. Saint Francis, the Patron Saint of Visitation, tells us to “be who you are and be that well.”
I am Me and “Me” is a “Visi Girl.”

Thanks to Erin for letting us share her very personal essay with the world. Erin is in enjoying her freshman year at Christopher Newport, where she was awarded membership into the President's Leadership program. If you would like to be in touch with Erin, ask your college counselor!

Published by TSM