I lost my voice in the second grade. I tried talking to others, but could only contort my face before attempting to force the words out - never giving a response. I could nod as my teacher explained concepts on the board and faced the floor in shame as my mother scolded me for breaking her lamp, but I could never respond; I could listen, but was unable to interact. After one week of silence, I was signed up for...

Admittedly, it is embarrassing to reveal that UChicago was not on my radar until I received a personalized notecard detailing the “No Barriers” philosophy of the institution. The notecard caught my eye with its depiction of my name with large, Gothic letters and scenic views of Stagg Field and the Joe and Rika Mansueto Library. In an optimistic move, I taped the notecard onto my bedroom wall – determined to learn more about the sender. Nonetheless, the notecard affirmed three, unalienable...

Adjectives are fuel for the imagination - necessary for understanding the subjects of a literary work. That makes verbs the motor, progressing the plot and making characters jump from the page. However, you can get the best of both worlds with an adverb. If you are daydreaming in class, you are doing so absentmindedly. If you lay on your couch, you do so lazily. Bumping into someone is done accidently and, in some cases, awkwardly. For any given scenario, there...

STEM experience/activity 1 and explanation (Your response should range between 10-120 words.): My former ambivalence towards the sciences developed into a passion in room 427 - the designated Science Bowl Room. Being surrounded by individuals of varying backgrounds in distinct disciplines and experiencing the inherent competitive nature of Science Bowl pulled me in like a ferromagnet to a magnetic field. Participating in the 2017 National Science Bowl further fueled this passion. The series of fascinating lectures (on topics ranging from protein crystallography...

When I envision the Caltech experience, I see myself waking up to bright, humid morning to the sight of a spacious dormitory – filled to the brim with empty coffee cups and untouched problem sets. I can imagine taking a sharp detour to the Sherman Fairchild Library after class and taking a seat alongside four other students. As we pull out laptops and copy paper, we throw around ideas. “I have an idea, a study on the folding and structures of...

My eyes scanned the 15x15 array of black and white boxes - taunting me to challenge them. Anticipation was the only thing on my mind as I prepared to begin. After a brief moment of thought, I started the timer. My hands took on a life of their own - filling the white boxes with resolute confidence and placing asterisks on hints that eluded my mind at that instant. In the span of mere seconds, the (formerly) black and white...

I keep stacks of sticky notes filled with questions, witty quips, and facts that pique my interest. The typical stack includes sentiments ranging from “Cesium + H2O —> BOOM!” to “Norse mythology: cow licking ice = universe creation” to “Stink beetles, effective annoying sister repellent.” My tendency to take notes on anything and everything has landed me the moniker, “Post-it-Note Scrivener.” In the group project, I am the one member who writes what we are NOT allowed to present, before copying brief...

I hardly go a day without channeling my inner Nirvana and playing air guitar to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or tapping my earbuds to U2. The rhythm flows through the silicone ear gels and stimulates my brain. As the chorus hits, a cascade of excitement surges through my body. Then, almost as soon as it started, the song fades out. Alt-rock is dynamic and liberating, but it is more than that. When I’ve hit a wall, my tunes make...

As someone who has pondered the form and function of life, biology and chemistry have always fascinated me. I would get the best of both worlds through studying Chemical-Biological Engineering. Research with the ChemE or BioE departments, through UROP, would be an excellent supplement to classwork. I already know that MIT’s biochemistry curriculum is a good fit for me. Last summer, I had to learn about signaling pathways in cancer for a research project. In just one week, I...

Henry stared at the worksheet of figures, numbers, and graphs. He had missed two days of class and was unsure of how to proceed. I began by drawing analogies to concepts he already knew – sine curves became lines gliding across the coordinate plane at his discretion. Once a foundation had been established, I reviewed material from days prior. Armed with the necessary tools to tackle the worksheet, Henry became more independent: catching mistakes in his work and explaining his rationale...

Nigeria is my first home – my birthplace and where I spent my formative years. My youth was marked by vibrant scenery, the jarring (yet elegant) intonations of Pidgin English, and meals of yam and cassava. However, at age four, I parted with Nigeria and settled in New York City – where I have spent an astonishing twelve years. My adolescence was shaped by a variety of cultures, opinions, languages, and experiences. Likewise, all aspects of my life have been molded by...

The 2018 NYC Regional SHPE Science Bowl was nearing its end. Although my team came into the double-elimination round with a loss, we managed to reach the final round - where we were faced with a force far greater than we could have anticipated: Ardsley High School. We got a strong start, answering the first question before it was fully asked and rapidly buzzing for the first half of the game. When halftime was called, the score was 18-60 and I...