Student profile
Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
Those close to me have often remarked, “I thought you were so ________ when I first saw you.” They filled this blank with a variety of adjectives, ranging from shy and serious to chatty and witty. I never understood how they could sum me up so quickly until I encountered a study conducted by Princeton psychologists Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov. The study divulged that strangers form a first impression of others in only a tenth of a second. I realized then that I leave very different impressions on the people in my life: my teachers and classmates know me to be a dedicated and studious individual; my sister regards me as annoying; and my best friends know my goofy side. I can’t tell you who I really am, partly because I don’t know yet. Only when I composed a bucket list did I discover the qualities that define me.
Bucket List Item #1: Skydiving — Adventure sports have always captivated me. I have gone cliff diving, parasailing, volcano climbing, and even drove an ATV at top speed in the scorching desert. I’ve found that my appetite for such activities can be traced back to my innate desire for immersive experiences. I always attempt to maximize the intensity of the activities I participate in. In school, this translates to being an attentive and purposeful student who wholeheartedly tackles every assignment. Outside school, however, this means yearning to engage in activities that help me appreciate nature and enhance my senses. My interest in skydiving, therefore, is not entirely startling: I love the heightened sensation of adrenaline coursing through my body.
Bucket List Item #2: Running a kids’ educational summer camp in Africa — Growing up as a first generation Indian-American, visits to India have been a regular part of growing up. After observing minors working as domestic help in India, I recognized the lack of opportunities for many children across the world. This observation reinforced the importance of empowering kids and fostering financial independence through education. In high school, I discovered an outlet for me to do so: STEMBuds. Through this school club, I teach STEM concepts to Title-1 elementary school students. In college and beyond, I intend to further reinforce an interest in STEM subjects in my local community. My experiences have made me realize that giving back is a vital part of who I am. Ultimately, I hope to impact children globally by creating educational programs in places with difficult living conditions.
Bucket List Item #3: Tackling Global Economic Challenges Through Computing— As I’ve grown older, I discerned crucial issues in India’s economic structure, which largely stem from high population pressure, leading to a low level of national income and steep income inequality. Moreover, technological innovation is sluggish, improving which could propel economic growth. I am eager to pursue the integration of economics, finance, and computer science in college and use the skills gained to work on problems that propel growth for “developing economies.” Making an impact through my work would be an important aspect of my academic and career pursuits.
These three items are not a comprehensive list of pursuits I hope to engage in. My ambitions in life are parallel to those in the classroom, where I have employed a work-hard-play-hard ethic, allowing me to pursue my passions wholeheartedly. In college, I want to further immerse myself in these challenging pursuits, and, in the process, get to know myself better. My dual background has largely impacted my personal development, allowing me to easily incorporate unique perspectives and be open to ideas from those with different backgrounds. I’m looking forward to expanding the list of adjectives that describe me to include “purposeful.”