When I first met Dylan, I saw her for 32 milliseconds. She spoke no words, dashing away from the hot seat, which meant I was going to deal with her two brothers first. She’s a triplet. Dylan had a hooded sweatshirt on and pulled over her head, in June. Looking back, I can now see that she was like a chrysalis in that hoodie, on the cusp of a huge metamorphosis.
I pick up on small details with my clients, physical and non, and feel it’s a disservice to not paint a complete picture for my reader when spotlighting such a remarkable student; they are, after all, whole people. In a lot of cases, it’s a physical characteristic or outward appearance that facilitates finding a topic and hook. Perhaps its towering height, heterochromia, dirt caked under fingernails, or deliberately mismatched socks. In the rarest of occasions, though, it is something nested deep within their head that requires worthiness to identify. My point being, it’s usually pretty easy to identify a topic, but not with Dylan.
Dylan has a bright smile, pearly white piano keys for teeth, and amazing skin. She is diminutive in height, coming in at 5’ even, is a fierce athlete and competitor, and her physical form is befitting of a life-long dedication to sport, yet she walks very softly on this earth.
It’s hard to look at her and not be completely drawn towards her in an almost mystical manner. Her visage is equally piercing and enticing; Dylan’s deep chestnut colored eyes and thick mane of hair are huge draws. She is nothing short of stunning. Her eyes are a portal to her soul, and I wanted to prattle about in her noggin and find out what made her tick. She has a deep warmth to her that doesn’t feel contrived, situational, or opportunistic; it’s the kind of vibe you get when in the presence of someone who is at ease with themselves.
Dylan is. It’s as simple as that.
She is luring in every aspect of the word. I wanted to talk about all the things before she settled upon a topic, to know her musings on Taylor and Travis, Buc-ees sours, the AP test system, and everything else under the sun. But she wasn’t feeding me the heady information as fast as I wanted her to. She held back. It made me batty.
The thing is, she was decidedly terse when we first started working together and not in a disrespectful manner. She’d be the perfect on-the-stand witness because she answers only what you ask, nothing more or less. I quickly had to adjust my approach with her; a lot of kids take a yes-no question and run with it, but she held her words as if playing chess with them. I was going to get no more than I asked and if I was ever going to engage her in a meaningful debate, I’d have to earn her respect and trust.
It’s not that she’s a skeptic or cynical. Dylan is a utilitarian and realist in the highest possible form. Pragmatic is her middle name. She is decidedly cerebral but it is tempered by the way she walks through life; she’s not going to speak her mind unless she deems her audience worthy of the effort required to express herself. Dylan takes a step forward when she’s good and ready, not a moment sooner. She was probably the toddler that refused to let anyone tie her shoes and if it made the family 90 minutes late, so be it. Dylan walks through life according to the beat of her own drummer. She is decidedly youthful and spry, and the astute observer can see pep to her step juxtaposed against a powerful but restrained intellect.
Looking back, it’s rather bizarre to admit, but I wanted her to approve of my job performance. It was important that she deemed me a capable teacher and to have earned her respect. Seeking the approval of teens is hard as hell and is usually an exercise in futility. I work with students to get into college; I’m not out to win a popularity contest. With Dylan, it wasn’t enough for me to have worked with her, I think I wanted to leave a lasting impression on her like she was leaving on me.
She walks through this world boldly, unapologetically, and with an acerbic wit that takes years to hone. I have seen her eviscerate her brothers with the precision of a razor-sharp tongue, while smiling and holding a demeanor that typically comes from age and wisdom. It’s uncanny. Maybe it’s the byproduct of being the youngest triplet and the only girl. I don’t know, but she’s a force to be reckoned with, and I don’t mean arbitrarily, either. It’s not that Dylan has a strong or overbearing personality, in fact she’s decidedly kind and sweet, it’s that her presence commands respect. There is no wasted space, air, time, effort, or energy with her. Everything about Dylan is deliberate. Everything.
We built a rhythm working together on her essays…so so many essays. I think there were at least 30. Our late night FaceTime calls usually gave me a view of her pink walls and her ceiling fan, her over-used Alexa, and Bailey, her dog. Dylan was deliberate and calculating in her applications. She picked niche schools with deep pockets, places that she truly fit. She had zero interest in big branded universities unless they facilitated her goals of a PhD in sports psychology. Dylan is well aware of the value she brings to campus but not in an arrogant manner. The amount of merit money thrown her way is testament to the exhaustive work she poured into her application.
As time passed and we racked up the word count, it became apparent that Dylan’s heart is her biggest asset. She’s got a mad intellect and is lightning fast on her feet, but these characteristics sit second to her character and principles. Dylan is the ride-or-die friend that everyone needs but few are lucky enough to claim. The person who will take your call at 3:00 am, meet you in an obscure location without question, and bring donuts. Maybe a shovel.
In the first sentence of her Common App essay, Dylan proudly professed that she “recently discovered” she was a badass. It was one of the catchiest hooks a student has written and it couldn’t have been more true. The only thing I would have added, had it been my essay about her and not a personal reflective piece, was the word, “concentrated” preceding badass.
As our time working together drew to a close, I found myself saddened that I would no longer be privy to daily life according to Dylan; I grew accustomed to talking with her on the regular. But, my loss is offset by the fact that she has an exciting and bright future ahead of her.
My parting thoughts for Dylan as she embarks on her next adventure: trust yourself more and throw any inkling of self doubt out the window. Your judgement is spot on, your work ethic is unmatched, and your goal-focused attitude are remarkable traits. The world will not always reflect all that you are, believe, and do, so you will need to be judicious. Walk with equal parts head and heart, and your future will explode with opportunity. I can’t wait to watch it unfold.
Oh, and I better be the first person you call when the PhD applications are in queue.
