Ideas for Topics

If you are thinking about submitting a story to the Vanderbilt [IM]Perfection Project, but are not sure what to talk or write about, consider the following questions and prompts:

1. Prior to starting your first year, what did you expect your experience at Vanderbilt to be like? Has your experience been different than you expected?  How so?
2. Many students talk about Vanderbilt having a culture of perfectionism and effortless success. Do you agree with this?  Why or why not?
3. In the spirit of cultivating a Vanderbilt culture of honesty and vulnerability, talk about a time when you felt like you failed at something while at Vanderbilt. Did you talk to anyone at the time?  How did you cope?
4. Do you feel as if you can be honest with your friends about failure at Vanderbilt? Why or why not?
5. What do you need in order to feel as if you belong and are supported at Vanderbilt?

Potential Topics and Tags for Stories:

Support

Failure

Overcoming and/or admitting failure

Resiliency

Uncertainty

Success

Identity

Loneliness

Isolation

Belonging

Purpose

Personal growth

Stress

Anxiety

Depression

Mental health

Effortless perfection

Social life

Rejection

Transition

Academics

Being overly involved

The glorification of busy

Pressure

Connecting

Competition

Sadness

Freshman year

Body image

*If none of these topics or tags resonate with you, feel free to create your own!  Just be sure to send any tags along with your submission in the email to imperfectionproject@vanderbilt.edu.