“Your dad is leaving for California.” My mom's words dissipated my characteristically cheerful mood; I was shocked. Overcome by a looming sense of loss and powerlessness, I barely heard my parents as they explained that my father was offered a job in California. Unfortunately, due to my mom’s work permit restriction, the rest of the family have to stay behind in Massachusetts. As I watched my father board the plane, I felt tears welling in my eyes. My parents...

Snuggled in the south side of my high school is the band room. Walking by it, one hears the clicking of two drumsticks colliding and a man repeatedly shouting the phrase “ta-ka-di-mi” over the mistimed entrances and cracked notes of a practicing ensemble. To the inexperienced ear, the sounds create an unappealing portrayal of what happens there. However, as a trumpeter in multiple ensembles at school, I have spent a large chunk of time in the room with its inhabitant,...

Given my upbringing in a competitive-math environment, where problems had discrete answers, my introduction to the world of predictive mathematical modeling was both shocking and eye-opening. The idea that no precise answer existed and that priors, which are probability distributions that are based off one’s beliefs, needed to be constantly updated puzzled me, as this contradicted my idea of math’s concreteness. No matter how much data I analyze, the posterior will only approach the true value — a “correct”...

6:45 AM. We enter the building through a backdoor and hide behind the piano as the janitor passes us on his cleaning route. Twenty minutes later, the three of us, sweat trickling down our sore muscles, stood admiring our creation. Towering fifteen feet over the center of the band room stood an elaborate recreation of the Aztec megastructure — Templo Mayor — only it was made out of chairs and music stands. You see, the parallelepiped-shaped chairs were made of polypropylene, making them...

Jaws dropped as I listed the courses I planned to take in senior year. “Aren’t you a math a science person?” everyone asked. In my first three years of high school, my schedule revolved around STEM courses, even opting to double up on senior science classes my junior year. However, as my peers debated historic battles and current events, I started to realize I couldn’t go in depth with any of my arguments. My skill set was too...

“Old buildings, gorgeous lawns, wonderful weather,” I muttered to myself, looking at the brochure. “Another typical college; let’s get this over with,” I thought pessimistically as the information session began. Yet, as I flipped through the pages and listened to the Rice representative’s lecture, something stirred inside me. The unique combination of the campus’s architectural style added a stylistic tension that prevented aesthetic boredom. I could imagine myself playing frisbee on the grassy lawn of Founder’s...

As a curious thinker, Brown’s promotion of free inquiry and “Liberal Learning” appeals to me. Not only will I ask thought-provoking questions, but I also will receive unique, compelling answers from varying viewpoints, as everyone creates their own core curriculum. I love Brown’s emphasis on collaborative environments in academia and in research, which I discovered an interest for this summer when I investigated billiard trajectories, a type of dynamical system. At Brown, I will have the amazing opportunity...

“The radio says no rain!” I don’t want to bring the bulky umbrella. “It’s going to rain,” Grandma replies, “I can feel it.” “No, trust the radio,” I insist. “Grandma!” “Ok, let’s go quickly.” Many years ago, I lived with my grandparents in China while my parents were pursuing their dreams on the other side of the world. When we arrived at the store, she quickly bought her groceries and rushed out. I was confused. But, halfway...