Is writing my college essay about anxiety a good idea?

Writing your college essay about anxiety is definitely an option, but your instincts are right—it's a topic that, while deeply personal, is also commonly chosen. This means you'll want to approach it with a focus on freshness, specificity, and forward momentum.

Colleges are looking for evidence of resilience, growth, self-awareness, and the capacity to thrive even when situations get tough. If anxiety has genuinely shaped who you are, you shouldn’t feel pressured to ignore it. However, instead of writing a general essay about feeling anxious and working through it, try to find a very specific moment or experience that shows us how you deal with anxiety in action. For instance, rather than a broad overview of struggling with academics or making friends, you could zoom in on a day where your anxiety created a challenge—and show the concrete steps you took to manage it, what you learned about yourself in that moment, and how that lesson carried forward.

For example, maybe you had a presentation where your mind went blank from anxiety, but afterward, you created a playlist you’d listen to before every class. You discovered that music and structured routines could help, and eventually, you led a group project where you shared those strategies with others. This takes the story from simply an obstacle to a moment of proactive problem-solving and even community impact. Admissions officers will see a resilient person who isn’t defined by anxiety, but empowered by how they’ve learned to handle it.

It’s key to avoid making your essay solely about the struggle or only about overcoming it; instead, let your growth and the specific coping strategies be the star. End on a hopeful, forward-looking note, indicating that you’re prepared to meet future challenges head-on.

Ultimately, what matters most is authenticity and introspection. If you do choose to write about anxiety, use precise details and vivid anecdotes to ensure your voice and unique experience stand out. That will make your essay memorable and show colleges exactly who you are—and how you’ll contribute to their campus community.