What a month. We’ve had an incredible group of essays featured for the Stratejoy Essay Contest, and now it’s the big day!
Time to get your votes in!
Miss an essay? Want to review them all one more time before voting? No problem! We’re hooking you up with a list of all of our finalists and their kick ass essays so you can take a look!
Already know who you’re voting for? Cool.
VOTE NOW!
ESSAY CONTEST FINALISTS
Finalist #1 – Brandy
It’s summer, which means we’ve all heard from a multitude of women describe their ninth circle of hell- buying a bathing suit. Horror stories of bad lighting, wrong sizes and errant bikini waxes shown to overeager salesladies scar everyone. But when the women I know start to admonish their bodies, I remind them of that time I was twelve years old and bought my first bathing suit. (Read more of Brandy’s Essay…)
Finalist #2 – Alexandria
If you are on the verge of cutting off all your hair, or giving up on your creative passion, or seriously considering finding the nearest convent to take you in because you feel like you will never measure up, keep on going! (Read more of Alexandria’s Essay!)
Finalist #3: Udoka
This is what I call a “super story”. A super story is the hash description of a person, place, or thing that may or may not be based on truth. Most people dislike them because they can easily turn into stereotypes. My problem with super stories is that they are incomplete. (Read more of Udoka’s Essay!)
Finalist #4 – Sarah
You might be journeying through the dark night sky. As long as your own lights illuminate the gound in front of you then that’s all you really need. Keep on moving and stepping and indeed shuffling if you have to. Eventually you will get to where you need to go. (Read more of Sarah’s Essay!)
Finalist #5 – Akirah
Even so, I’m still a virgin and under unique circumstances too. I currently live with my boyfriend of a year and we have not yet done the deed. In the beginning, I thought I was going to give it up at any moment. Things were HOT and I wanted for him to leave no corner of my twenty-six year old body unturned. (Read more of Akirah’s Essay!)
Finalist #6 – Dusti
I can’t help but wonder how that year would have been different if I had been able to stay home with my daughter for a few weeks without worrying about my rent getting paid? (In my case, with my school grants, which forced me to return to school immediately unless I wanted to go back to the working life of a barista.) That made me consider a greater question.What if every person in the United States had six weeks of paid parental leave? (Read more of Dusti’s Essay!)
Finalist #7 – Sarah
Suddenly the crowd goes silent, whispers stir the audience and you wonder momentarily what the big deal is. You smile, set your notes on the podium and look past the blinding lights at the crowd. Their faces are horrified, but you give your speech anyway and it begins like this: So, you probably noticed already, but I’d like to point out that I’m standing here completely naked other than my heels and lipstick… (Read More of Sarah’s Essay!)
Finalist #8 – Renee
Ball-buster. She-devil. Bitch. These are words that have been used to describe strong women. And, for some, strong women are scary. They’re intimidating. They trample others to get what they want. For more mild-mannered women especially, strong women are fierce competition. They’re the enemy. Or so we’ve been socialized to believe. (Read more of Renee’s Essay!)
Finalist #9 – Mara
I had been the loud girl, the opinionated girl. I had been the girl who was too much, took up more than my fair share of room. I’d had my spirit broken by bullies, coaches, and strangers – people who said, “But honey, you have such a beautiful face, why…” Why would I let myself look the way that I did. As if who I was, was the anti-thesis of beauty. (Read more of Mara’s Essay!)
Finalist #10 – Claire
In a mix of luck meeting preparation meeting opportunity, in January 2007 we heard of a summer opportunity to start a community project through our school. With that, the seed was planted: here was an opportunity for us to DO something, not just talk about what we’d like to do in classes and essays. (Read more of Claire’s Essay!)
Finalist #11 – Erin
What if I told you that procrastination is not your fault. That it’s biochemical. That there are physical reasons why you procrastinate. That it’s not all in your mind. It’s actually in your brain.(Read More of Erin’s Essay!)
Finalist #12 – Jen
What comes to mind when you hear the word yoga? Perhaps an image of a dreadlock sporting, patchouli smelling, matcha tea drinking hippy shows up for you. Or do you think of overpriced mats, yoga blocks and straps, 105 degree rooms, and chanting? (Read more of Jen’s Essay!)
Finalist #13 – Cary
I am all for being a modern woman. There are women for whom love and marriage are not the top priority. I admire these women, but I am certainly not one of them. Falling in love and getting married has always been on the top on my To-Do list. (Read more of Cary’s essay!)
Finalist #14 – Kristen
When people think about history, their mind often conjures up images of a cranky school teacher drilling them on dates and wars. The way many topics are taught in school is often dry, based only in facts and figures, stories of great men and wars. It lacks excitement but most importantly- it lacks connection.(Read more of Kristen’s Essay!)
Finalist #15 – Jill
One day, sitting in my stuckness, driving down I-40, it hit me. I was so overwhelmed with joy that I nearly got into an accident because I could barely see through my tears to drive. I have never felt that much joy in my life and I knew I was meant to be right in this very place. Right here, right now. I’m going to use my unique story to save hurting homes and hurting, homeless people. (Read more of Jill’s Essay!)
Finalist #16 – Cassie
Body acceptance is a major obstacle in our society. Many forms of acceptance are! We downplay are ourselves to make others feel better about themselves because we’re selfless. It doesn’t mean that we’re “good people.” That is not how you measure your worth. (Read more of Cassie’s Essay!)
Finalist #17- Candace
There is so much in the world that we perceive as ugly- visually, politically, culturally and emotionally, among others. If we take the time, however, to slow down and open our minds, we’ll have the opportunity to look beyond the rough exterior and see the beauty that lies just under the surface. (Read more of Candace’s essay!)
All caught up?
TIME TO VOTE!
The winner of the Stratejoy Essay Contest will be announced on Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 right here on the blog, so be sure to check back then for the big news!!
