The transition from middle to high school is never easy, and it was especially difficult for me. I was in a terribly depressed state of mind before entering high school, and I was not looking forward to taking on even more complex challenges. However, I found the courage and maturity to change my life by challenging my family, my closest friends, and the voice of my own self doubt, which were telling me that I would never become a serious and dedicated athlete...
I had prepared myself for my final season of high school football for seven months. I had trained my body to handle the stresses from the sport, and I had trained my mind to endure the criticism, fatigue, and punishment a season long journey brings upon a player. As the season neared, my whole world was turning as planned. The air was getting cooler, the intensity was growing as we neared our first game, and our team chemistry was close to perfection, but out of nowhere everything stopped...
The University of Pennsylvania never fails to attract the attention of the brightest students in the world, and to have an opportunity to study at an institution such as UPenn is an opportunity worth taking. Growing up, I was always interested in pursuing a career in medicine and becoming a doctor..
Sliding the knife through the cake's creamy green and white frosting, I heard someone say my middle name. [name]. Turning to smile and see what the person needed, I heard it again, yet with the addition of my unofficial middle name. Being called [name] by people unrelated to me made me feel really happy and surprised because I haven't been called that by people outside of my family since we moved back to the USA from South Asia...
Over the years of living in a small town where traditions are held fast, and attending a school comprising of nearly ninety-five percent whites, I have grappled with the two worlds that I live in. When I immigrated to the United States from China, I was thrown into a society of polar opposite customs, and in the process of assimilating into American culture, I realized the vast importance of diversity...
When the bus pulled to a stop in front of Bryant Elementary and everyone went his or her separate way, I was at a loss for directions. Upon entering the building I heard a commotion at the end of the hall and quickly walked towards it. I found myself standing in the lunch room where numerous students were eating and conversing. I glanced at my watch. It read 7:45 AM — back home I would be preparing for bed...
Reading is the one thing I never tire of, for the plethora of books cannot be exhausted. I always look forward to beginning a book, whether it is diving into the romantic world of Jane Austen or vying against the racial tensions presented by Toni Morrison, and, quite often, it is my way of winding down after a long day...
In the winter of my junior year, I applied to attend the Student Diversity Leadership Conference. I’d been encouraged to go by my parents and by my school’s director of diversity, and figured a few days in Houston would at least be an interesting experience. So in December I boarded a plane with nine of my classmates and headed to SDLC for three incredible days...
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