Undergraduate / Ethnicity targeting - U of T Supplemental Application [4]

Describe a situation you witnessed, or were involved in, where someone was treated unfairly or discriminated against. As you describe the situation, please outline how you responded, and would you do anything differently if that situation occurred again?

120 words maximum

In ninth grade, I watched a boy in my class face regular targeting because of his South-Asian ethnicity. Some students mocked his accent in Arabic and used it as a way to exclude him during group activities.

At the time, I stepped in only when the behaviour became too blatant. I slowed discussions so he could speak, backed him when others talked over him, and gave him tasks that were vital. While it helped initially, the backhanded comments would continue sometimes aimed at me.

Looking back, I would call out the behaviour early and involve a teacher from the start, making it clear that it isn't "just joking." Addressing it upfront would stop it from spreading and protect the student.

Undergraduate / Overcoming perfectionism - U of T Supplemental Essay [2]

I would like feedback regarding this ( I know the last sentence about A small step to a hopeful future is very awkward and i will likely remove it unless i figure out another way )

Briefly describe a personal goal you have set for yourself, and how long you have been working to achieve this goal. In your answer, please outline who you turned to for advice and/or help to achieve this goal, and what was their role? What did you learn about yourself? (120 words max)

Maladaptive perfectionism - setting unrealistic standards and having an all-or-nothing mindset - had regrettably inhibited my work during my high-school years. I grew up tying my value to what I could produce, so anything less than "perfect" felt like failure. In robotics, this meant rewriting code endlessly until it broke; in my personal projects, I burned out before finishing anything. This started to shift last year when a close friend stepped in. He's direct, sometimes annoyingly so, and keeps me accountable by pointing out when I'm overthinking or stuck polishing details that don't matter. When I finally completed my first project, although messy, I realised such results come from consistency rather than a flawless workflow. A small step to a hopeful future.

Undergraduate / Leading a Mojita Stall - U of T Supplemental [2]

Describe an example of a situation where you took on a leadership role. Some examples include (but are not limited to): helping to resolve a dispute or contributing to a group's goal.

In your example, please outline what your contributions were including your role and responsibilities.

What did you learn from this experience? Would you do anything differently if you were in the same situation again? (120 worsd max)

Feedback would be much appreciate

As head-of-operations for our Enterprise-Day Mojito stall, my perfectionism pushed an unrealistic plan that overworked my teammates and ignored waste. It caught up with us when the budget was rejected and people stopped coming.

I called one last meeting, admitting the plan was unrealistic, and asked what everyone could manage. Together we cut the stall down to essentials, chose a cheaper menu, and reduced roles. The school approved the new budget and the stall sold out, earning about five times what we spent. I had treated the role as authority; if I were in the same position again, I'd start by asking for limits and worries first and build a simple plan with the group from the beginning.