Prompt: Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate -- and us -- know you better. (250 word limit.)
October 29th, 2011: I am alone. I am tired. I am at a Snoop Dogg concert. The drumbeat rattling my teeth is nearly overpowered by my deafening crash onto rock bottom. The 2011 school year cut me to pieces. I was a sophomore – a year notorious for being easier than the rest at my school – attending the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts after school. I got home at 7 every evening, rarely getting to bed before midnight. I struggled to keep my head above water, craving the happiness summer would surely bring.
October 26th, 2012: I am alone. I am ecstatic. I am at a Skrillex concert. The electronica master charges my body with his fancy musical gadgets; I release the energy by losing myself in the pulsing crowd. The 2012 school year took one look at me and couldn’t help but laugh. I spent the entire summer at a summer camp in the mountains of North Carolina, and I came home feeling invincible. I found myself staring at my glass of water, just because. Water, ya know? Water!
On my rollercoaster ride through high school, I realized that I am in control of my state of mind. As I embark on my next big journey, I’m glad to know that I have the ability to take control of my life when it seems terrible and stay grounded when it seems fantastic. I’ve always hated rollercoasters, but this is one ride I won’t regret.