The sun crept over the horizon, gradually illuminating the brick buildings with shades of orange and purple. It was only 6am, yet the town was already buzzing. Cars and buses sped up and down the streets, zooming towards the sprawled-out plazas among the few lakes and trees. Droves of people entered the many shops for their morning breakfast before work.   I observed all of these events as I was watching the sunrise from the top of a sledding hill one...

Freshman biology often makes 15-year-olds around the nation groan; but for me, however, it was the gateway to a much more fascinating world. From the complexity and interdependency of each biological system, working to keep me alive, to the anatomical structure of each individual muscle fiber, the natural world of biology enthralled me. Applying this fascination was most evident in engineering, and I believe Northwestern's educational system will guide me through this journey with its emphasis on personal and intellectual...

The bystanders gave me owl-like stares that followed me as I dashed through the hallways, my friends close behind. “Elijah!” called my mother. She pulled me over and sternly admonished me. “Stop running. Church is no place to run!” Filled with embarrassment, I headed back to my friends, and we sauntered on without a word. At the time, I felt wronged, and I became angry that my mother had called me out in front of all the other Chinese parents...

A sea of eyes stared directly at me as I stepped onto the stage. The lights shined upon me, and the chatter from the crowd gradually settled into an eerie silence. “Thank you for joining us for the 2019 VBS,” I exclaimed. “We look forward to seeing all of you soon!” As soon as those words left my mouth, a wave of stress, built up from the past week, left me. It was finished. Being the Master of Ceremonies was one...