Part One

Hi my name is Erin Mulcahy, I am a freshman and a Mass Communications major. I'm from Abington, Ma which is about half an hour from Boston. I am a big fan of all the Boston sports teams and hockey is my favorite sport to watch.

Part Two

Writing Strategies
1. Bosley's details gave me a vivid visual of her surroundings and what she was experiencing. When she said, "...mixed-shag, contrasted so loudly with the cheap 70s furnishings that it threatened my attention to the television set...", I could clearly imagine the description and immediately thought of my grandparents old house. "Clearly, I lacked the save-the-whales and-rainforest civic mindedness required...", Bosley describes what she knew the judges expected to hear in the question and answer portion of the contest. Her details throughout the essay kept me amused and interested in her story.
2. Bosley's essay could matter to others who have experienced a let down such as this or someone who competes a lot. For someone who does not care about pageants, it can teach them to always try their hardest even when they believe they are going to fail.
3. What I like most about Bosley's essay is that she was truthful about her life and her experience and her details kept my interest. The main suggestion I have about her essay is to talk more about the actual pageant, such as what else she had to do besides her routine and the question and answer.
4. Bosley does tell us how she lost the pageant. The point of her essay was to describe why she lost and that even from the beginning she knew she was not going to win. She lost the pageant due to not having the right clothes, car, pictures,and being engaged at 17. Also, her answer to the judges question was original and not the usual world hunger or environmental answer.

Exploring Ideas
2. Bosley's point about beauty pageants speak to larger issues because it shows how competitions are sometimes more about who has the more expensive or brand name items. The media projects a certain look and if not followed is looked down upon.
3. When I first entered high school I did feel that if I acted a certain way then I would have a lot of friends and ultimately fit in more and be happy. I quickly learned that that does not create happiness. It is true that if you act yourself then you will find true friends that like you for you.

Ideas for Writing
1. Freshman year of high school I played on my school's very first girls lacrosse team. I found out that I was out of shape and not good at running a lot, which lacrosse requires much of. I improved throughout the season but did not like playing at all. I felt as if I had disappointed my dad because he loved going and watching me play a sport instead of watching my dance recitals. Lacrosse took up a lot of time which left me none for dance class and homework. Overall it was best that I did not play the next year, I improved in school and as a dancer which I enjoyed more.
2. When I visited my aunt in California her neighbor took me horseback riding. At the time i was young and scared of heights, but I ended up getting on the horse and doing a few tricks. After, I felt like I could do anything because I knew I overcame a fear.