Undergraduate / Lafayette College: What do you do? Why do you do it? // Watch movies to understand psychology. [3]

There's a difference between being busy and being engaged.

Lafayette comes alive each day with the energy of students who are deeply engaged in their academic, co-curricular and extracurricular explorations. In response to the prompt below, keep it simple - choose one activity and add depth to our understanding of your involvement. What do you do? Why do you do it? (20-200 words)

(I haven't shortened mine to 200 yet, it's 342 as of now)

I have been drawn to films for nearly as long as I can remember. As a child, I used to be enamoured by the vibrant colours of Monsters University and the immersive sound effects of The Avengers. As I grew older, ever captivated by cinema, I started fiding a much larger significance in movies than entertainment.

Eventually, I realized that movies are a reflection of our reality - a testament to the vast, complex, and exciting world we live in. I stopped viewing movie characters as fictional, but living, breathing people. Hence, I learn realms about psychology, human connection, and its impact when I see Charlie writing anonymous letters in The Perks of Being a Wallflower or Ved being nonsensical in Tamasha. Further, protagonists with peculiar or similar intellectual curiosities as mine particularly intrigue me, as I can trace their journeys to understand where his/her ideologies lead him/her, or how he/she build upon them. I study their experiences and learnings so I can subsequently apply them to my own life.

Moreover, characters often perform menial activities in films which eventually prove to be incredibly meaningful in their story. This helps me give meaning to my own tasks and makes me appreciate the tasks and the people in my life. I now find myself enthralled to engage in more activities.

My enamour with motion pictures aligns with my interest in behavioural psychology. I am determined to understand human nature and the origins of people's mindsets. In the same light, I wish to explore minors in Psychology and Philosophy at Lafayette College. Such academic pursuits would enhance my toolset for understanding people, and in turn, enable me to analyse movie characters more deeply. As a young Sikh, I have been subject to frequent ridicule for my turban. In my adolescence, those experiences have manifested in me a strong sense of compassion and regard for a nurturing environment. Hence, through my minor studies and passion to decode human behaviour, I ultimately aspire to maintain a positive and enriching environment for those around me.

Undergraduate / My education - Trinity College Supplemental Essay: How would you contribute? [3]

Trinity contribution

Our mission states: "Engage. Connect. Transform. As the preeminent liberal arts college in an urban setting, Trinity College prepares students to be bold, independent thinkers who lead transformative lives." Keeping the three pillars of the mission in mind, how do you see yourself contributing to the Trinity community? (650 words)

Having grown up in a Sikh family, I have always been preached philanthropic values. That is why, participating in community service has been a significant part of my story. From serving langar at gurudwaras to volunteering at NGOs, the scale of the problem may be small, yet my urge to solve it is always humongous.

More often than not, I find that solutions to such problems can be found amongst the practical applications of the array of disciplines taught at school. Using my academic knowledge outside my school not only helps me propagate social welfare but also deepens my understanding of the subject itself. One such instance was when I collaborated with my friends to supply electrical power to rural schools in our locality. To achieve this, I relied on the concepts of piezoelectricity or other miscellaneous scientific principles to build and deploy piezoelectric floormats.

In the same light, at Trinity College, I intend to pursue a liberal arts education in its true sense, wherein I develop critical interdisciplinary skills that would enhance my toolset for helping the community. Apart from majoring in Computer Science, I would like to explore majors in Philosophy and Psychology which, I believe, would make me a more holistic person with a deeper understanding of people's mindsets. This would ultimately allow me to maintain a compassionate and nurturing environment for those around me. Trinity's mission - "Engage. Connect. Transform." - embodies ideals of independent thought, innovation, and humanitarianism. It would foster my pursuits and enable me to help my community in an unprecedented and robust manner.

The college's myriad endeavours in social welfare and interdisciplinary guidance would better help me engage with it and recognize issues. I am enthralled at the prospect of being able to combine my passion for philanthropy with my love for computer science by pursuing undergraduate research through the renowned Summer Research Program. I am vastly interested in the field of artificial intelligence, and its usage to recognize symptoms of medical maladies or industrial disasters.

Moreover, at Trinity - surrounded by people with a prominent social conscience - I look forward to learning from and adding to the potpourri of diverse experiences across cultures and academic disciplines. It is the cross-fertilization of such opinions that shines a light on the future and enables critical thinking. Trinity would hence provide an environment where I can form deep connections, get inspired and inspire others, question my beliefs, venture outside my comfort zone, and aid my peers through their intellectual curiosities with complete support. Through this process, I would come out of Trinity a much better person.

Additionally, I am excited to transform the outcomes of organizations or projects I participate in through the S.A.I.L Office with my individual ideas. By integrating my academic learnings, I believe I can bring a more humane and compassionate perspective to such projects, as well as amplify their achievements. Principles of IT can increase the outreach and efficiency of organizations like Green Campus and Habitat for Humanity. Furthermore, integrating virtual interfaces could produce wonderful results in ConnectiKids. They would also open up the opportunity to systematically promote positive values through their education, enriching them not just as students but as human beings.

Using the numerous opportunities Trinity would provide me to use my education for the betterment of the world is when, I believe, my education would truly begin. I, therefore, aim to not only transform the world but also myself - as a scholar, a friend, and a responsible philanthropist. I hope to develop the skills and patience to not just produce independent thoughts but also transform them into meaningful and lasting action.