aistar
Jan 14, 2011
Undergraduate / "Juggling Lemons" Common app option 5 [3]
Hey, a little help/ constructive criticism please :)
Juggling Lemons
At 18, I still enjoy putting up juggling acts. What started off as a simple childish imitation turned into six long years of frustration and determination. I can now juggle up to four objects-- albeit slowly and irregularly, but for a person whose hand eye coordination isn't completely in sync I feel proud that I persevered. This simple act of juggling things has become an integral part of my life. I juggled lemons and apples when I was bored but the invaluable lesson I learned was: how to juggle school work, extracurricular activities and part-time jobs along with my friends and family.
Sitting at a distance I watched my father rhythmically throw and catch a tennis ball, immediately I had to do the same. After whining petulantly for what seemed like ages my mother finally gave in, she handed me lemons -fresh from her grocery shopping at the bazaar. 'Stay in the kitchen' she instructed me.This was unfair -- it was crucial that I concentrate in the peace and tranquility that surrounded a monk. At age 9 my attention span lasted less than a minute. How was I supposed to focus while the kettle was whistling, the water dripping in the hustle and bustle that exist in a tiny kitchen? During those times, I stayed in the kitchen and learnt to focus on the task at hand, egardless of the noise and distractions buzzing around me, I learnt to concentrate on what matters and tune out the rest.
I threw one lemon faster and the other slower so that I would be able catch both of them at the same time. This was not exactly the art of juggling, but I trudged on with it. I practiced juggling with lemons every time an opportunity came along, pushing myself to improve.
Hey, a little help/ constructive criticism please :)
Juggling Lemons
At 18, I still enjoy putting up juggling acts. What started off as a simple childish imitation turned into six long years of frustration and determination. I can now juggle up to four objects-- albeit slowly and irregularly, but for a person whose hand eye coordination isn't completely in sync I feel proud that I persevered. This simple act of juggling things has become an integral part of my life. I juggled lemons and apples when I was bored but the invaluable lesson I learned was: how to juggle school work, extracurricular activities and part-time jobs along with my friends and family.
Sitting at a distance I watched my father rhythmically throw and catch a tennis ball, immediately I had to do the same. After whining petulantly for what seemed like ages my mother finally gave in, she handed me lemons -fresh from her grocery shopping at the bazaar. 'Stay in the kitchen' she instructed me.This was unfair -- it was crucial that I concentrate in the peace and tranquility that surrounded a monk. At age 9 my attention span lasted less than a minute. How was I supposed to focus while the kettle was whistling, the water dripping in the hustle and bustle that exist in a tiny kitchen? During those times, I stayed in the kitchen and learnt to focus on the task at hand, egardless of the noise and distractions buzzing around me, I learnt to concentrate on what matters and tune out the rest.
I threw one lemon faster and the other slower so that I would be able catch both of them at the same time. This was not exactly the art of juggling, but I trudged on with it. I practiced juggling with lemons every time an opportunity came along, pushing myself to improve.
