Undergraduate / "Piggy-Back Rides" - GMU SUPPLEMENT [NEW]

"Can I have a piggy - back ride?" were the first words that came out of her mouth when we first met at the MDA summer camp in June. Immediately, I glanced around, almost every camper was in a wheel chair except for mine. Am I being pranked? I thought to myself. Looking past it, I introduced myself to her parents, and then kneeled down to shake her hand, she ignored me as if I was air. I hopped around with my back facing her, "so how about that piggy - back ride?" I smirked at her. She acknowledged me. As we strolled around the camp, I glanced at the file I received with all the medical history and information of my camper. Megan Dabbs, seven years old, 48lbs with ADD, slow progressing Limb-Girdle MD, extremely shy, wear diapers at night, afraid of thunder, tends to mutter to herself, heavy sleeper, prescribed pills must be taken daily, unable to shower or use bathrooms at times due to weak muscles. This list goes on and the file was almost as thick as my AP Biology text book.

To say that my week at MDA camp was a stroll at the park would be a lie. The daily waking up at 6 am, going to bed at 9pm, an entire week of non-stop activities, the sudden weight on my shoulder as the responsibility of taking care of a child was handed to me in one day, the constant back pain from the endless piggy back rides. Somehow none of it mattered or could compare to the satisfaction that hits me like a crashing wave when I see the dimpled, thin lips, smile on Megan's face. As her stick thin arms wrap around me, my stomach sinks, with a warm feeling like its Christmas in June. With her smile and her arms around me, I know that patient and love is the greatest contribution I could give.

Undergraduate / Each adventure brought a new strength; The journey to who I am. [3]

ANY COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK IS MUCH APPRECIATED! I NEED TO SEND IT IN LIKE TODAY SO PLEASE HELP ME! THANK YOU :)

Have you witnessed France from the top of the Eiffel Tower or maybe beamed at the ACTUAL Mona Lisa at the Musïe du Louvre in Paris? How about roaming the Vatican City of Rome, Italy, world's smallest independent state? Perhaps you have worn a Dirndl and paraded through the famous German Volksfest? Or eaten Lychee, Mangosteen, Durian, and other exotic fruits from Asia? At the age of 18, I am blessed to say that my life has been an enthralling rollercoaster ride that has taken me from countries to countries.

It would be a lie if I told you that from the start I enjoyed packing and unpacking the same archaic brown boxes that overwhelmed my house every few years that developing new friendships was enjoyable or adjusting to new cultures was facile. However, as I become accustomed to each task, I began to appreciate them because with each box I undo, each friendship I build, and each culture I familiarize with equals an unexplored adventure.

Each adventure brought a new strength; whether it is saving NT200 off a pound of fruit in Taiwan by negotiating, traveling independently, or communicating in a foreign language when I was lost. I also began to sympathize, discover, and developed an interest in the world around me. In the gloomy streets of Italy is a mother carrying an infant with an unheard anguish tale, in the corner of Taiwan is a child neglected agonizing from hunger, and in the cold nights of Belgium is a man with nothing but an unwavering hound.

I am what my trips are, trips that have taught me more about current world events, political issues, foreign currencies, cultures, foreign languages, communications, transpiring empathy for others and basic everyday competency than any writing or media could. As I look within my priceless journeys of snowboarding in the mountains of Chateau d'Oex, Switzerland to viewing the Casa Batllo of Barcelona and standing in Camp Nou home of FC Barcelona, I have realized that going to Penn State is compatible. The similar packing and unpacking of the good old brown boxes, the formation of new acquaintances, and the need to adapt in new environments means another adventure; an adventure for me to explore PSU, to use abilities that I have acquired in my travel to learn, develop, succeed and blossom at PSU.

Undergraduate / "Why did you pick the emergency room?" - Essay for Common App [4]

Prompt: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below (1000 character maximum)
here's my essay it's 702 words. thanks in advance! :)

A gentle beam of summer sunlight cascaded over my languid face. I attempted to sneak a peek at the clock; it was almost noon. It's been nearly almost 3 weeks since I've flown from Virginia to Taiwan, yet somehow I can't seem to escape the jet lag that haunts me. My heavy eyelids opened to stare at the sickening pale ceiling; quickly I closed them and groaned. At the speed of a snail, I crawled out of bed and fumbled for a cup of tea in my grandma's native kitchen then headed toward the hospital.

"This is how you work a gurney, the sheets are over there, and always be alert of the ambulances coming in." the nurse announced in her monotone voice to me and my three fellow comrades. As she continued, my mind wandered off about what to eat for lunch. Out of the blue someone nudged me.

"Why did you pick the emergency room?" one of the three comrades, John, who was the same age as me, whispered.
I raised an eyebrow, surprised at his boldness.
"Most girls I know try to stay away from areas like this, five feet away from a slight sign of blood and all of them go hysterical."

Was that legitimate? I thought to myself. Before I could answer, the noise of an ambulance intruded.
A tiny fragile girl lay unconscious on the gurney; her sister looked abashed.
"We were turning at an intersection, and suddenly everything just went vague! When I woke up Jenny was on the way to the hospital!" the sister cried to the police.

"SOMEONE PAGE DR. HUANG NOW!" a senior nurse yelled.
My palms began to feel clammy, adrenaline hit me like a crashing wave, and my heart pounded like a racing cheetah.
"Alright, I need all four of you to come around and help me lift her in sync." The nurse with the monotone voice instructed.

Just when I thought that was the highlight of my afternoon, two more ambulances pulled up and everyone departed to help.
In the midst of nurses yelling, family members sobbing, and the police talking, I felt short of breath, almost claustrophobic. Perhaps because it was so preserving that somehow no one detected the girl with tears running down her delicate face with a torn shirt, a massive pile of blood stain on her unbuckled shorts, a left shoe missing, and her scrapped knees and bruised arms. Without hesitation, I hurried over to her with a blanket and wrapped my arms around her boney shoulders.

"If you don't mind the nurses need you to urinate in this container so they can send it for investigation." I spoke softly.

Outside the ladies' room I paced anxiously back and forth like a helpless mother waiting for her child to return. Twenty minutes flew by before my intuition had me rushing inside like a mad man. There she was, a vulnerable, frightened girl who was not much younger than me, hidden in the corner. As I sat on the slick floor holding her from quivering, I glanced at my watch; it was 30 minutes after my shift. In between all the chaos, my feeling of hunger, laziness, and ignoble complaints of how my shirt did not match my shoes suddenly all vanished.

So my entire summer went on and bedazzled me every day with events that you thought you may only encounter on the television in your living room or the big flat screen in a movie theater near your house. Even though not every day was filled with shocking scenes like a broken back, stroke, or missing hand, but rather something simple as paper work, delivering blood samples, or eating dinner and conversing with patients. I wanted to show them that I WANTED to be there and not just another teenager looking for volunteer hours.

Whether easy or hard work, it paid off. It was a significant experience that showed me the flimsy side of life, and taught me that helping others doesn't necessary require you to know someone's name, or their background, it just means giving your time, energy, love and all your concern without asking for something in return, because you truly care.

Undergraduate / "First Kiss" Why OSU? I could comment on how awe-inspiring Elwood Gordon Gee is [2]

Why are you considering The Ohio State University?

this is what i have so far, but i am not too sure how to finish it. so any advice will help :) thank you!

Why am I considering The Ohio State University? Well I can point out the obvious "OSU offers numerous majors to choose from, also providing me with an admirable study environment." Or I could begin praising myself highly along the lines of "I have a wide range of volunteer experiences, which is why I believe I'd be a fine addition to OSU." Or I could comment on how awe-inspiring Elwood Gordon Gee is, but I won't.

Do you remember your first kiss? The uncertainty you felt that made your heart raced like an uncontrollable cheetah, and the overwhelming fluttering pain that makes it difficult to breathe. The way your stomach twirls before the drop of a rollercoaster ride. Your hands are suddenly clammy as the exhilaration hits you like a crashing wave. You are fidgety yet thrilled. You are light-headed, dizzy, almost to the point where you pass out. It's from feeling anxious about wanting to make a good impression and agitated about the unknown.

As I contemplate about attending OSU, I experience the same emotion of a first kiss. My hands begin to sweat, and I am inundated with felicity.

Undergraduate / The Aftermath of Rape And What I've Learned. Personal Statement! [4]

Any advice, opinions, correction is greatly appreciated! thank you!

In life we stumble upon questions, theories, and concepts that can't always be answered or explained, sometimes it's just simply the way the universe is. Never have I contemplated much about whether the chicken or the egg came first, or whether God exist or not, however, I've always pondered about why bad things happen to innocent people.

In the ER, things can become chaotic in a blink of an eye. Sometimes as I stand in the midst of nurses yelling, family members sobbing, and the police talking, I feel short of breath, almost claustrophobic. On a Wednesday afternoon, the ER was overwhelmed with traumas from cardiac arrest to car collisions. Perhaps because it was so hectic that somehow no one detected the barefoot girl with trails of tears running down her delicate face, wearing a torn, blood stained unbuckled shorts, and a shredded shirt worn the wrong way. Without hesitation, I hurried over to her with a blanket and wrapped my arms around her boney shoulders.

"If you don't mind, the police needs you to urinate in this container for investigation." I spoke softly.
Outside the ladies' room, I paced anxiously back and forth, like a helpless mother waiting for her child to return. Twenty minutes flew by before my intuition had me rushing inside like a mad man. There she was, a vulnerable, frightened girl hidden in the corner. As I sat on the slick hospital floor holding her as she quivers, the thought aroused, "Why do bad things happen to innocent people?" Will I ever know the answer? Probably never.

We, humans, are exposed, delicate creatures. It's inevitable that unfortunate things will fall upon us. The experience of volunteering in an ER overseas was life-changing. As I watched the little girl, and her family, I understood that I was once fragile too, but with each dilemma, you don't surrender, rather you turn it into an opportunity; to learn about the world, about others, and about yourself.