Providing information about yourself makes your card more personal and gives the recipient a window into the world outside their door. You don’t need to write a dissertation but you should make it interesting and provide a glimpse into who you are and what you like to do. Here are some examples:

Sample Letter #1:

I am a senior at Lincoln-Sudbury High School and have been accepted to the University of Vermont as a Wildlife Biology major. I am passionate about helping conserve our natural resources and want to be a park ranger or wildlife researcher when I graduate from college. I am currently a member of the Lincoln-Sudbury Venture Crew, which is a co-ed, student-run organization similar to the Boy Scouts in which we do all of the fun outdoor activities like hiking and camping, but without the merit badge requirements. On our most recent trip, we spent the weekend ice climbing up in North Conway, New Hampshire. We were lucky this year that the weather wasn’t too cold, with temperatures in the 40s. The previous two years’ it was bitterly cold and we had to be extra careful to ensure we didn’t get frostbite, which I ended up getting on my toes despite my best efforts. So I was very happy that it was warmer this year!

Sample Letter #2:

I am a junior at Lincoln-Sudbury High School and am a member of the drama club. I have been in three plays this year, including the most recent Winter One Act production of Macbeth. Winter One Acts – and the Collage plays in the Spring – are three separate one-act plays directed by students in their senior year. Our version of Macbeth was done in the original Old English as written by Shakespeare and included several fight scenes in which we used real swords and shields. The play’s director has taken stage-combat classes and taught us how to realistically fight while not hurting ourselves or the audience. The fight scenes went off without injury although the people in the front rows certainly were paying close attention to where the swords went! Our next play will be “She Kills Monsters,” that is based on the Dungeons and Dragons game and will run in late April.

Sample Letter #3:

I am a sophomore at Lincoln-Sudbury High School and am on the school track team. I enjoy it so much that I participate in both winter and spring, although it is tough doing the winter training and running outside! I run short-track as well as throw shot put and javelin and frequently finish in the top five for running. I’m not as good at shot put and javelin but I enjoy the challenge of trying to improve my personal record each time. My brother is also on the track team, but he does high-jump. LS is one of the few high schools with a high-jump section so he doesn’t always compete depending on whether the school we are going against also has high-jump. He loves it but I am always nervous watching him launch himself into the air, 20 feet above my head!

More topics to get you thinking:

• • Talk about your extracurricular activities. Do you participate in sports? In theater? In a club? Do you volunteer?
    • What do you like most about it? Why is that the thing that you choose to do?
  • What is/was your favorite vacation or camp destination? Why? Talk about what you did on that trip and/or something new that you ate.
  • If you have one, what is your favorite class/subject? What is it about the class/subject that interests you?
  • Do you have a pet? Talk about your pet and include a funny story about something they did/do.
  • Do you work? If so, where and what do you do there?
  • Are you a graduating senior? Where will you go to college and what will you study? What did you select that major and what do you hope to do with the degree when you graduate?