To say I'm an optimist is an understatement. Ever since my Dad called my scribbles modern art and my English teacher commended me for noticing a metaphor first, I've harbored a sneaking suspicion that I was exceptional. I'm maybe just a girl in a room on a street on this tiny pale blue dot, but I feel immense. Like there are worlds; legions inside me and I could lean into the world right now and nothing would break my fall.  ...

Dharma has echoed through my entire life, amassing meanings I wasn't conscious of until ‘The Difficulty of Being Good’ by Guruchan Das, drew my attention to the intricacies of this indefinable word, and its role in our lives. Dharma dictates the rules of living; it often seems claustrophobic and nauseating. I was appalled by this word – seemingly synonymous with 'the Man'- until I realized its fundamental value.  Dharma is ancient, yet present in every modern culture. Dharma is noble yet...

What specific plan do you have, if any, for using the education you hope to receive?   Since I’ve grown up between India and Ethiopia, I've seen first hand the wastage of human life in the face of confusion, discrimination, and lack of access to resources, in addition to the myriad ways in which this complex world can cripple good intentions. So for me, my education has to be the way in which I stop people from dying senseless deaths.  ...