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Idea or experience important to intellectual development. I learned early on that "we are all created equal" is a lie. In the fifth grade, my close friend cut ties with me over our differing religions. "You're going to H-E-Double-Hockey-Stick, and I don't wanna be friends with somebody who's going to the underworld," he told me. This comment brought me anguish and confusion, and my naiveté about diversity vanished. After this incident, I began to dissect my own identity. I was...

Note to future roommate: Dear Future Roommate, 1. I will not disturb you while you're watching one of your favorite TV shows – unless it's Sherlock, because Benedict Cumberbatch's impeccable acting elicits praise. 2. If you ever feel like a tornado has struck our dorm, I promise I am just redecorating, and this mess will disappear within days.* 3. While leaving for an early morning run around Lake Lagunita, I will walk on the tips of my feet to avoid waking you. 4. Although it...

What matters to you and why? The prospect of living in a black and white universe terrifies me. I have associated specific symbolism, imagery, and anecdotes to each color and, thus, I would forgo what is now meaningful to me. Red - The beauty of roses, knowing when to decelerate at an intersection, the sweaty mats in my dojang, the cover of my Beginner's Hindi book, and the vermillion powder that I apply to my forehead during worship. Orange -...