Student profile
Personal Essay
Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
7:16am. The train rolled into Tustin station. It was my ride to this summer's research work at City of Hope, a cancer research center and hospital just outside of [location]. Initially, the prospect of getting up early every morning to commute four hours round trip on public transportation with strangers made my sheltered, suburban self nervous. Despite my inhibitions, I made this commute a ritual for ten weeks—a decision that helped me appreciate the spectrum of possibilities in every person.
My train journey showcased a slice of America I had never experienced before: daily commuters precisely following their routines, travelers from around the world speaking in different languages, anxious family members taking their sick ones to hospitals—every ride had something unique to observe. I felt the urge to share a dialogue with this exhilarating world.
"¿Este tren va a Anaheim?"
A young Argentine woman on a backpacking world tour with her boyfriend asked me if the train would stop at Anaheim station. I responded, "Sí, llega después de la estación de Fullerton"—Yes, it comes after the Fullerton station. This was my first real world full conversation in Spanish. I opened Google translate on my phone to aid me (read: save me!) as we excitedly continued our conversation. We discussed how travel changes our perspectives by allowing us to interact with wildly different people. I imagined myself in their place, learning to play panpipes from a Peruvian homeless person or enjoying a meal with an Inuit family. I thought about how my own travels to many countries across the world, climbing 268 steps to Big Buddha in Hong Kong or walking through labyrinthine living interiors of old forts in India, allowed me to connect with the local cultures. I felt a bond in our adventurous spirit and mutual respect as curious explorers who go beyond the superficial and appreciate the indigenous. By overcoming our differences in languages and appearances, we became global citizens.
A few days later, I met an older lady who used to be a medical practitioner but became a teacher so she could raise her 8 children, all of whom became doctors! My interaction with her offered a glimpse into a mother's motivation to sacrifice her own career ambitions to secure her children's future. I felt overwhelmed with an appreciation for everything my own parents do for me. I remembered my mother choosing to forego a business trip to attend my piano concert. My father would never miss driving me to all my basketball games. With this feeling of gratitude, I pledged to take care of my parents at any cost, whenever needed.
It was July 5th. Seats were empty due to extended holiday celebrations. A middle-aged man came on-board with his young son latching on to him. I looked up from the pages of Future of Capitalism to greet them with a "hi." After we exchanged a few pleasantries, the unexpected happened: he suddenly offered me some marijuana. Startled, I quickly declined. However, taking a leaf out of the Paul Collier book I was reading, I deliberately avoided getting uptight and instead continued with our conversation. I learned that he leads a fast-paced lifestyle as a Hollywood studio technician. We discussed the influence of streaming media on entertainment. I was impressed with his intellectual depth in analyzing popular shows and their perceived contribution to our life. My interest went up for this profession I had known so little about. Once I accepted his social mannerisms, I could see the stimulating, logical mind behind his unconventional persona.
The colorful experiences during my train rides transformed my attitude towards society. I learned, through the lenses of empathy and wonder, that people are molded differently by their circumstances and driven by their goals; and I gained an appreciation for the human spirit-often idiosyncratic, inspirational and surprising.