Why is it so hard to say good things about yourself without sounding an arrogant?
I'm not sure, but obviously nobody knows, or commercials wouldn't be so annoying.
Here's a quick, easy test:
Would people receive the thing you said about yourself better if someone else had said it about you?
If yes, delete it! Your Activities & Honors section "introduces" you; leave your awards and achievements where they belong. (You can still mention these in an essay, but they should not be the main focus.)
How do I show I'm good in an essay?
With a story! Show growth, not a static (unchanging) personality trait.
Example:
Bad: I've always been a really hard worker who gets 100% on every test and project.
Good: I always used to struggle with public speaking. But, after looking like an idiot in front of my crush during a group presentation when I accidentally said "Boe Jiden" instead of Joe Biden (and everyone laughed and I ran out of the room crying), I knew things had to change.
The only idea I could think of to get better at speaking was to watch Avengers movies on loop—I'd try to say everybody's lines and imagine what it felt like to be them in that moment. This obviously led to some pretty terrible early attempts at socializing, but I had an unexpected breakthrough when someone laughed what they thought was my "Thor impression"—and I realized that confidence doesn't just have to be aggressive or heroic; it can also be something as simple as taking what people say in the best light (most people aren't that bad, after all) and laughing along with them.
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