Undergraduate / "I'm normal in some ways" - Stanford supplement: letter to roommate [4]

Hi! This is my first thread, but be as critical as you can; I give you permission to be brutal with your feedback. Here's the prompt:

Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. What would you want your future roommate to know about you? Tell us something about you that will help your future roommate -- and us -- know you better. (250 words minimum)

And here's my essay:
Dear Future Roommate,

It's common knowledge that every dorm room contains a normal roommate and a weird roommate, and if you don't have a weird roommate, then you are the weird roommate. However, you'll have nothing to worry about, because I will probably be the weird roommate.

I'll seem perfectly normal at first; I'll be shy, friendly, and I'll smile a lot. Don't worry; the shyness will disappear shortly after we meet. When this happens, I'll still be friendly and smile a lot, but please don't be alarmed when I pull out a ukulele and start to sing, "All the world seems in tune on a spring afternoon as we're poisoning pigeons in the park." I don't really want to murder innocent pigeons, and I do sing normal songs, too (although most of them tend to be just as quirky as Tom Lehrer's "Pigeons In The Park"). And don't be alarmed when I start to come up with terrible puns about 185 random objects walking into bars. Some of my jokes aren't so terrible, and thinking of jokes is thoroughly entertaining. My closet is in rainbow order, I like to point out Mini Coopers when I see them, and I love to crunch numbers in a world where math is the runt of the academic subject litter.

I like to think I'm normal in some ways, though. While the ukulele and jokes are important, my family and friends transcend everything else in my life. When I can, I like to snowboard and play soccer. I thoroughly enjoy art and music, as well as the occasional rock concert. I think that's enough for us to become good friends, Future Roommate.

Hope to see you soon!

Best wishes,
Rachel

Undergraduate / Brown supplement: inspired by The Cloudspotter's Guide [3]

PROMPT: Tell us about an intellectual experience, project, class, or book that has influenced or inspired you. [500 words max.]

Being a native Seattleite, I love the sky. It is coffee grounds to an earthworm, or bad metaphors to a writer. Whether it's the smattering of constellations I see on summer camping trips or the occasional downpour I listen to on the front porch, the sky, to me, is the ultimate source of beauty in the world. However, the complexity of clouds has always escaped my praise before I read The Cloudspotter's Guide. Gavin Pretor-Pinney put it more precisely in his introduction when he wrote, "nothing in nature rivals their variety and drama" (9).

There's a sort of cloud culture that unfolds from The Cloudspotter's Guide, and it's left me in awe. It covers all aspects of clouds, related to art, myths, music, poetry, daredevil tactics, and the scientific answer to the all-important three-letter question: "why?" I get a vitamin cabinet of subjects: history, literature, science, P.E., and even a little philosophy.

How could something as omnipresent as a cloud have so many facets to it? And if something as simple as a cloud could have so many facets, then something more complicated probably has thousands more. There is still much for me to learn, and the more I learn, the more I know I don't know anything. The more I learn, the more I want to learn.

It's the details that inspire me further. The Cloudspotter's Guide mentions an instrument called the Cloud Harp, which scans the skies and plays music based on how the clouds are arranged and how they move. Upon first reading this, a smile stretched across my face; I didn't know until that point that my love of music and my fondness for the sky could ever relate so directly. Earlier in the book, I had thought that I could be a weathergirl, to connect the sky with acting; this was much better.

While it's fairly unlikely that I could ever become a cloudist (one who configures the Cloud Harp) for the one existing Cloud Harp in Montreal, The Cloudspotter's Guide did provide me with some new perspective. It had never occurred to me to combine my interests for a fuller career. I don't expect to take the weather stations by storm as a weathergirl, and I certainly don't expect to play the skies as a cloudist. However, because of The Cloudspotter's Guide, I know that there are careers out there that are more interesting than just office jobs. If I don't find such a career, then a job more generic and a little time to gaze at clouds would please me just as well.

Please, be critical! Be brutally honest! I'll be sure to return the favor. =)
Thanks!

Undergraduate / Common App Essay: "Beyond the Wake" [2]

PROMPT: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

Please, be brutally honest. I'll be sure to return the favor. =) Thanks!

The Boat comforted all who climbed upon it. No one could resist the cushy seats and the warm towels, especially in the heat of the sun. Time after time, the Boat succeeded in lulling its passengers lazier than a sloth. I probably could've fallen asleep beneath the toasty towel, and nearly did when―

"Rachel! Want to try next?"

My dad just clambered out of the water from a wicked awesome round of wakeboarding, drenched from head to toe. In fact, a drowned rat couldn't have been more soaked. He looked cold enough to have icicles hanging off his nose, too. The Boat pleaded me to stay. Rest. Take a nap. Anything but leave my toasty towel. On the other hand, I had nothing to lose by trying something new.

"Yeah, I'll give it a whirl," I replied with a smile.

My dad beamed. He always thought that a well-rounded person could get a lot out of life, so he encouraged me and my sisters to venture out of our safety zones to try new things. Upon stating my reply, I wobbled up lazily from my seat and started toward my life jacket. I put it on slowly, slightly anxious. The fact that the wakeboard bindings completely swallowed my feet didn't reassure me, either. As I slipped off the edge of the Boat, a deluge of water rushed past my face. Not surprisingly, my head popped out of the water an ice cube. I thought I would shiver and shake out of my skin if not the balmy summer air, boasting a pleasant eighty degrees that day. Binding tied as tight as possible and hands gripping the handlebar until my knuckles turned white (or was it due to the frigid water?), I tried to clear my mind of everything except the wakeboard. Okay, I can do this... just turn the board when there's some pressure. I should have a grand old time, I told myself. Okay, I think I'm ready...

"Hit it!"

The engine roared as if I had angered the Boat and sacrifices had to be made; the sacrifice-- me. I leaned too far back, into a face-plant. Once again, a stream of icy water rushed past my face; or through my face, rather. My mouth and nose filled with the taste of murky lake water.

My attempt to wakeboard followed a similar pattern for four or five more tries, but to no avail; I still couldn't carry out the correct motions. Each time I failed, Dad recommended a different technique in order to stay up and out of the water. While my mind accepted the information, my feet would simply not follow orders. It was on the sixth try that something actually clicked.

Floating in the water like before, I was determined. My will was unstoppable, like a bomb set to detonate in the next five seconds. I was a robot, programmed to succeed. I called out and heard the Boat roar; my mind commanded, my feet acquiesced. One foot forward, one foot back, I stood up. A smile spread across my face when I suddenly!

caught my edge and fell again.

Despite the last-minute mackerel-slap, my smile had grown into a contagious grin. I glowed with the pride of succeeding to (almost) wakeboard. I swear I could light a candle with that glow.

As I climbed back into the boat, I knew my mindset had changed. After all those futile attempts, I triumphed! More importantly, I enjoyed myself immensely in the attempt. From this, I realized that as a person tries new things outside of their comfort zone, their comfort zone grows to a much greater area. Never again would I hesitate to try something new.

Undergraduate / 'It was love at first strum' - Common App Short Answer: the ukulele [4]

PROMPT: In the space provided below, please elaborate on one of your activities (extracurricular, personal activities, or work experience) (150 words or fewer).

Any feedback? Suggestions? Anything is appreciated. Thanks!

It was love at first strum. I could practically feel tropical sunshine, the melody washing over me like mild waves: ukulele. While I've always loved music, this instrument seemed as if it were tailored to fit me. Like me, the ukulele is sometimes very funny, sometimes very calm, but always small and cheery. I like to think that in my life, there are endless possibilities. Similarly, the ukulele challenges its player to push creative boundaries for a unique musical experience. However, with its bright sound, it's difficult to make the ukulele sound melancholy. I can spend hours playing adaptations of my favorite acoustic songs, poppy radio tunes, hard rock anthems, or simple scales, and never once does the ukulele fail to warm my heart or stimulate my imagination. The ukulele is my catharsis, my amusement, my challenge. Some call it a hobby; I call it love.

Undergraduate / "people are more similar than different" - Whitman: diversity in DC [3]

Whitman College is committed to building and sustaining a diverse campus community. We believe a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives enriches our community and enhances intellectual and personal growth. What is your concept of diversity, and what experiences have you had that inform your thoughts? (350 words max.)

Thoughts? Comments? Critiques? Please share, and don't be afraid to be harsh. I'll gladly return the favor. Thanks =)

I would like to say that I grew up with diversity and that my neighborhood is as varied as a jar of jellybeans. However, my neighborhood is not diverse in the usual sense of the word. Most of us are white, Christian, and relatively well off, which is to be expected in a suburb of a large city like Seattle. The truth is I have not experienced much diversity in my life. Recently, though, my AP Government class and I visited Washington D.C. for a week, where we got to meet students all corners of America.

Because my family does not travel very often, the journey to Washington D.C. tickled me pink. I would finally see a deciduous forest and world-renowned monuments. The only thing I that disconcerted me was meeting the other students, from Wyoming, Georgia, Texas, California, Utah, and even Panama. As a fairly timid person, I worried that I would not be able to connect with them, especially since they hailed from elsewhere.

In many ways, we were all very similar. However, we were also noticeably diverse. In smaller groups, we discussed the history and politics of different issues or of the monuments and museums we had seen earlier that day. Usually, this would lead to debate. With many issues, there were conflicting morals and contrasting philosophies that would hinder universal agreement.

At the end of the week, everyone let loose at a dance in the hotel. It was especially interesting to see who would dance the most during which songs. The Wyoming girls flipped each other around at rapid speeds during the country songs. The Georgia kids looked like stunning music video dancers during the hip-hop songs. All of us, however, danced.

So what do I know about diversity? Very little. In my experience, I have found that we as people tend to be more similar than they are different; we all have a home, we all care about something, and we all dance. This may or may not be a naïve idea. But, as always, I'm willing and eager to learn more.