If you were given the opportunity to choose to be any object, what would you be and why?

While cleaning my office at work, I came across this little gem. It is my college admissions essay, which means it was written most likely in 2001, probably right around this time...ten years ago. Wow. I hope you enjoy it even half as much as I do! Personally, I think 17-year-old me might have been onto something :)

Question: If you were given the opportunity to choose to be any object, what would you be and why?

If I could chose to be an object, I would be a camera. As a camera, I would photograph the items and events that occur in life. Some situations that are photographed can never be experienced again, but as a camera, I would be able to capture that moment on film and immortalize it. People would use me for my ability to take pictures they would cherish for years to come. I would contribute to the happiness of the people who love my photographs.

If I were a camera, I would travel the world and explore the wonders of earth. I would be responsible for creating the memories that allow people to remember the places they visit. On my journey, I could be in the United States one day and end up thousands of miles away overnight. I could visit all of the places that I can only dream about in reality, such as the Roman remains in Italy, or the wildlife of the African Steppes.

As a camera, I would use my flash to brighten the gloomiest situation; it would illuminate even the darkest room with a split second of light. The light would give people a reason to smile, even if it were just for a few seconds. My flash would be a spark of energy in the lives of other people. The flash symbolizes the brilliance and luster that I would be to the lives of people that I meet.

I would use my zoom lens to keep life in perspective. The lens would allow me to focus on the big issues in life and give more concentration to situations and problems that need serious consideration. At the same time, my lens would let me relax on smaller conflicts in life and keep less important obstacles at a distance. This depth perception would let me maintain balance and control in my life.

Also, the lens would grow with me. Just as professional photographers add lenses to their cameras, earning my lenses would be a growth process. In my early expedition as a camera, I would have a tiny lens that would not notice small details. As I age as a camera I would add more lenses that would observe the missed fine points from the earlier years.

Although people enjoy and admire cameras, the actual picture a camera takes deserves the credit for captivating people's minds and imaginations As a camera, I would sit back and watch people find pleasure in the photographic memories I had helped them create. I would be able to be modest, yet have personal satisfaction knowing that I made the photographs; however, people would not have to give me any thanks at all which would be just fine. I would let a different object enjoy the praise and admiration.

Another reason I would be a camera is because I would be a part of journalism. Journalism is what I really enjoy doing. It's a major part of of my life and being a camera would allow me to be involved in journalistic activities on a daily basis. I would get a first-hand look into the action at athletic events and world-wide events. My pictures would be published in major sports magazines or on the covers of weekly magazines. The photographs would be able to tell the stories by themselves and would evoke so much passion and emotion in people that the people who see my photographs would want to see more.

The idea of being a camera is intriguing and I would better the loves of others by capturing the emotions and memories that they experience. My life would be incredible. It would be full of the experiences I can only dream about, from meeting famous people to capturing the emotions of the roller-coaster ride of life.

And besides, if I ever needed a break from being a camera, I could stay in the camera bag. I would keep my lens cap on and think about everything I have experienced in my life, as a camera.