University of Vermont

After working at an ice cream shop for over a year, I have become familiar with more ice cream flavors than I would have ever imagined. Over forty I believe. Along with the flavors changing every month, I have seen a bit of myself change over the...

Occidental College

“A mi no querer takar la clase de español”, I fervently and somewhat jokingly argued with my mother after she DECLARED that I would take Spanish 1 in 7th grade. It’s sort of like those times when you know the battle has long been over, yet you...

University of Pennsylvania

“When are you coming home?” I anxiously asked my mother over the phone.

Home for Christmas break, I grew tired of playing with my two-year-old brother while my parents worked. Glen was adopted domestically from a Bengali and Puerto Rican family,...

Boston College

Nothing strips away the social constructs that divide us like an emergency. Having witnessed multiple people lying helplessly in need of medical treatment, I’ve been forced to acknowledge the universality of human fragility. As an EMT, my job can...

Howard University

Come on Otis! I tugged on my dog’s leash. My feet pounded the ground, quickly accelerating in speed because the kitchen was awaiting my arrival. I opened the door and was hit with a wave of anxiousness and excitement.

What should I cook? All this...

University of California - Santa Barbara

Crystals fell from the sky, images of a never-seen winter wonderland falling into place. Snow flurries drifted through the air; a faded yellow fluorescent light from the rundown Chinese restaurant radiated through each flake, reflecting the...

Rutgers University

In December of 2017, I traveled to Mumbai, India. What was supposed to be just a two-week, relaxing, and fun-filled trip visiting extended family, turned into a chain of eye-opening and life-changing events for me. My cousins were part of a local...

University of California - Santa Barbara

Grasping the air bulb in my hand, I squeeze till the arm cuff is snug around the nurse. Methodically, I turn the valve on the bulb, letting out a faint stream of air, still pressing my stethoscope firmly upon the brachial artery, listening for the...

Vanderbilt University

I clock my final break on a brutally hot June Thursday. Stepping outside for a phone call, I have one thing on my mind: what is Saturday’s verdict? Dave, my Eagle Project counselor, has been corresponding with Portland Parks and Recreation (PPAR)...

University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign

While waiting at the Dunkin’ near Bardeen Quad, I noticed students took out caffeinated coffees, whereas visitors bought sugary ones. It was interesting correlating those two. Until my cousin bought Ice Tea. Finding such correlations – and...

Emory University

I grew up in Canton, where the wealthiest Chinese cities were within hours. For a child and an expatriate, the bustling rich of China struck 10-year-old me. The stories behind Chinese affluence mesmerized me, and they still do.

For high school, I...

Emory University

As much as I’m interested in the technical aspects of data science, I’m more intrigued by why a data result. Why New York City has higher covid cases than Atlanta; why Biden defeated Trump. I want to understand how human lives work, through...

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

In my senior year of high school, my piano teacher introduced me to Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G Sharp Minor. It was a daunting prospect; it was November, and I had to memorize and perform it along with two other pieces by February. This was...

University of Southern California

Meet Julian, Eloise, Damien, Georgie, and Caesar; a few of my best friends. These friends have helped me through the brightest and the darkest days of my life. They inspire me to think creatively, comfort me during the low times, challenge me, and...

Susquehanna University

As I sit in psychology class and learn about Social Identity Theory, I reflect on my cultural identity. I moved from California to Karnataka when I was six. My Abba decided we had to go back to our home, hence my parents started filling suitcases...

Washington University in St. Louis

“Do you have any siblings?”

It’s a simple question, yet for the longest time, it was a question that I dreaded, a question that I felt the need to avoid at all costs. The answer, in essence, is simple. I have two older brothers: one 22, the other...

University of Maryland - College Park

My father has always been complaining about the escalating cost of electricity. He continuously replaces the lights of our house with new power-saving bulbs to cut down bills. There have always been strict rules on the use of electrical devices at...

University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign

My program was successful, but the determination to continue competing further eluded me. I longed for the hackathon to finish, staring at the minute hand on the clock as it inched closer to the hour. As soon as the buzzer sounded, I felt I had to...

University of California - San Diego

At Hogwarts, House Cup rivalries & petty squabbles are more often than not, the norm. Although our community is large and diverse, its existence is threatened by dark forces - the ever-present danger of plastic pollution, unequal opportunities...

University of California - San Diego

In Biology, acronyms make learning easier. I took the liberty to create my own, CELL, allowing exploration both inside and outside the classroom.C: Cleveland & ClinicsI talked to the Head of the Department of Ocular Oncology at Cleveland...