Intermix an effect in with the essay. There are a number of effects that can be performed entirely by the spectator. Some require cards, others just a pen and paper. I would go with something not involving cards.
So, here is what I'm thinking....
I'm a magician. That means I study magic. I've learned that magic is not something that happens in the magician's hands, but something that happens in the spectator's imagination. It's easier to show you then to try to explain. Do you have a dictionary? Can you get it? I want to try something. Dont't worry, I'll wait while you go and get it.
While I'm wIting, let me tell you how I got into magic.....
Now we need to randomly pick a page number....
While your doing that, let me continue my story by explaining how I started to learn magic....
You now have a randomly determined page number, can you turn to that page in the dictionary? While you're doing that, let me tell you what I've learned while learning magic....
Now you need to pick a word...
As you are picking a word, I want to tell you about how people react to my magic....
You've got a word. Good. Hold it in your mind. Is it an object? I thought so. Visualize the object. It the object a particular color? It is... Think of that color. Is the color...? Before I tell you the object you are thinking of, I want to tell you how performing magic will help me succeed in college and in life...
Is the object you are thinking of a ....?