What are some unique topic ideas for my college essay?

It’s actually a great strategy to start by noticing which topics feel overused, since you’re already thinking like an admissions officer! While psychology and music are both popular interests, your personal connection or experience with them can absolutely make your essay unique.

Here are a few topic ideas that can help you brainstorm something distinct:

1. A "Small" Obsession: Write about a quirky psychological phenomenon you became fascinated with (like synesthesia, the Mandela Effect, or why certain songs get stuck in your head). Maybe your curiosity led you down internet rabbit holes, impacted your art, or changed the way you see everyday life.

2. Unexpected Intersection: Explore where your interests overlap. For example, ‘How creating playlists for friends became your way of understanding their emotions,’ or ‘The time you noticed a psychological principle at play while composing music or performing.’

3. Behind-the-Scenes Story: Pick a seemingly minor but meaningful story, like the time you organized your band’s gear and discovered your leadership strengths, or a day volunteering at a local clinic where a single conversation made you question something you’d always believed.

4. Unusual Hobby or Routine: Have you used music or psych concepts in a way people wouldn’t expect? Maybe you design soundscapes to help your siblings study, or keep a dream journal to analyze recurring themes in your sleep.

5. Personal Moment of Conflict: Not just about "overcoming a challenge," but a nuanced moment–for example, a time you disagreed with your music teacher’s approach, or wrestled with an ethical dilemma in your club, and how it evolved your thinking.

One example: a student wrote about their unusual habit of creating hyper-specific mixtapes for the plants in their room, convinced it helped them grow. This opened a window into the writer’s playful curiosity, love for science, and winding thought process—all from something not traditionally ‘big’ or dramatic.

Try to brainstorm specific moments or details from your own life that make your perspective different, even if the topic seems ordinary at first. The most memorable essays often aren’t about the biggest accomplishments, but the most personal insights.

Write down a few everyday things that fascinate or confuse you, or small stories that friends always laugh at or remember. Sometimes your unique angle is hidden in plain sight!