The college essay is not a resume of everything that you have done in your life. Ironically, a list that provides every activity and hobby in which you have dabbled will be a lot less effective than one specific event or milestone that has influenced you, changed you, and matured you in some way. Sure, we all use shopping lists – but that is why we have to take them with us to the store – because lists are forgettable. In your college essay, you want to be memorable. You want to stand out. So pick a situation or episode that really shows who you are. And remember: sometimes when you write too much, you show too little of yourself.