FREE ESSAY ON PRINCETON ACCEPTANCE ESSAY

PRINCETON ACCEPTANCE ESSAY

A creek is no place for shoes. I think it's unreasonable to ask such children to keep
their shoes on in such a place. My bare feet were always covered with calluses from
walking down the rough pavement of Pine Street and around the corner, past the tall oaks,
but not as far as the Lindsay's squeaky old swing-set. It was hard to see from the road,
and as far as I could tell, nobody ever went there, except for me. Large pines nearby
stood tall and erect, looking down at the ripples and currents that nudged each other
about playfully, like children in the back seat of a car on a long drive. Stones and
pebbles lined the shallow bottom and allowed the water to glide in creative patterns over
their smooth surfaces. Larger, moss covered rocks dotted the back and provided ideal
spots for a child to sit around watch and wonder.
The creek taught me things; it was my mentor. Once I discovered tadpoles in several of
the many eddies and stagnant pools that lined the small rivulet. A cupped hand and a
cleaned-out mayonnaise jar aided me in clumsily scooped up some of the more slothful
individuals. With muddy hands and knees, I set them on the kitchen table and watched them
on a daily basis as they developed into tiny frogs. I was fascinated by what was taking
place before my eyes, but new questions constantly puzzled me. Dad was usually
responsible for assuaging these curiosities. He told me about different kinds of
metamorphosis and how other creatures lived in the water that I couldn't see without a
fancy magnifying glass.
By the creek, my mind was free to wonder. I remember sitting on a mossy rock and watching
birds; I used to pretend I was one. As my body lay still, my imagination would take
flight. High above, looking down on this stream from the pale blue heavens, the wind
whistled over my face and the sun warmed my body. When my eyes flickered open, it was
usually time to go home. Sometimes I even did.
I was always up for a challenge. My neighbor and I used to jump from rock to rock in a
kind of improvised hopscotch obstacle course that tested our balance and agility against
one another. He was four years older and I had to practice every morning when he was at
school. On the rare occasions that I outdid him, I wore a goofy smirk for the rest of the
day. 
The creek was a frontier. The stream extended far into the depths of the woods. I thought
that if I wondered too far into its darkness, I might be consumed by it and never heard
from again. Gradually overcoming my fears, I embarked on expeditions and drafted
extensive maps using my father's old compass, a sheet of paper, and a few colored
pencils. As my body grew in height and weight, my boundaries grew in extent and breadth.
Years later, I happened to be walking to a friend's house by way of the creek. It
occurred to me that what was once an expedition was now merely a shortcut. Although I had
left this stream behind, I found others: New questions and freedoms, new challenges and
places to explore. But this creek would remain foremost in my memory, whatever stream,
river, or ocean I might wade.