Info Sheet for Essay One
Name: Dylan Rhoads
Age: 20
Current Location: Carlsbad, New Mexico
Hometown: New Braunfels, Texas (moved for work opportunity but stayed with Howard Payne University)
Living Situation: Owns a house in Carlsbad, NM
Education
- University: Howard Payne University (online student)
- Major: Marketing
- Standing: Undergraduate student
Lifestyle & Background
- Lives and works from home
- Life is pretty normal and laid-back
- Enjoys playing golf regularly
- Entrepreneurial side work includes:
- Regripping golf clubs for others
- Designing and selling custom 3D-printed parts
Essay Guidance (to the writer)
- Dylan’s life is calm, steady, and “normal” — but the essay should show how that “normal” actually has depth.
- He plays golf, runs small side businesses, and manages school and life independently from his home in Carlsbad.
- Be creative in taking something ordinary (like golf, online learning, or living in Carlsbad) and show it in a richer, more meaningful light.
- Suggested thesis framework:
- A (topic): Life in Carlsbad / Online school / Playing golf / Side hustles
- B (how others see it): Simple, boring, or just “normal”
- C (how Dylan sees it): A meaningful balance of independence, creativity, and growth