Digging for Those Cookie Dough Bites by Calista

Digging for Those Cookie Dough Bites by Calista - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

Just like meeting a new person, ice cream has layers and surprises. By first look, it usually is in a colored, ornate package with different designs trying to persuade parents to buy into the savory treat; similar to the outer appearance one puts out as a “first impression” when meeting others. The real treat, though, comes after one opens the package.
I, for one, think cookie dough is my ice cream doppelganger. By first look, it appears to be just standard vanilla ice cream: boring! When first meeting people, there usually isn’t much to stand out: they seem to be like every other acquaintance we’ve come in contact with. The real magic comes as we start to dig in and explore.
First comes the chocolate chips. They have some hard edges, like the bruises I have from past experiences, but end up being sweet after tasting, like a tragic event that turns into a good stepping stone. There also is more than just one chocolate chip, because everyone carries baggage. There sometimes are bigger chocolate pieces, indicating a greater change in flavor, but also small, hardly noticeable pieces that subtly build to the overall flavor that one enjoys.
Then comes the most anticipated (and most difficult to find) part of the ice cream: cookie dough bites. Sometimes one has to dig to the bottom of the carton to find these treats. They are the best part of the ice cream. In my eyes, it is like finding the best part of a person, the part that makes one become a best friend, beloved family member or soul mate. Although it may be a journey to reach these treats, it becomes worth it when tasting these treasures. It is what keeps parents writing cookie dough ice cream on their shopping list. It is what keeps kids digging for more, when it seems nearly impossible to find the cookie dough. Lastly, it is what helps keep a friendship going over time and distance.
I think everyone is like a bowl of cookie dough ice cream, including myself. Although every bowl may seem similar in nature, we all have our own weight we carry and we also have our own treasures for others to discover. I, for one, embrace both the chocolate chips and cookie dough bites in me. I think it’s important for me to grow and learn from various experiences and build up boundaries and values; like the chocolate chips. It’s also crucial to carry the treasures deep inside me and share them with those who truly care about me.
I’m proud to be one with cookie dough ice cream. Even though it may not be the most exciting, inventive ice cream flavor, it comes with the most truth and layers. I am proud to be me and for others to discover all the treasures hidden inside that colorful box in the freezer isle.