Undergraduate / 'Not just the atomic theory to the world' - UC personal 1 [5]

PROMPT: DESCRIBE THE WORLD YOU CAME FROM- YOUR FAMILY, COMMUNITY, OR SCHOOL AND HOW THEY HAVE SHAPED YOUR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS.
My mom taught me how to blow things up. I have witnessed and been the creator of the slow disintegration of cotton, gummy bears, hydrogen balloons, flaming salts, and all the group one metals. Of course she also taught me how to tie my shoes, do my hair, and all the other normal things a mother teaches her daughter, but learning to cause combustion was by far the least typical and the most entertaining.

For years, I walked into her lab at Santa Rosa High School thinking I was Johnny Storm, the Human Torch from the Fantastic Five. I was fascinated with the way molten potassium chlorate caused the gummy bears to dance in flame. No, we were not crazy; it was just our "thing". We would sit in the lab for a few hours every once in a while and bond over small chemical explosions. Not the ordinary mother-daughter get together, but for us, it was better than going shopping or getting our nails done.

Last Halloween, I was fortunate enough to witness her sixth period annual Halloween show. I walked into her classroom with chemistry on my mind, hopeful that everyone would walk out in one piece. I sat in the back next to a girl with a pad and paper and my mom began the show by stating, "the theme today is combustion". The girl next to me scribbled, theme: combustion, on her paper. My mom began with the combustion of solids, which consisted of steel wool over a Bunsen burner that created a red hot spark, powdered iron that when thrown into the flame looked like glitter, and magic dust (lycopodium powder) dropped over the fire, causing it to burst. The girl wrote down every detail she could manage to remember on the pad and I assumed that she was from the school paper. My mom moved to the combustion of liquids part and she started by soaking a dollar bill in ethanol and water and lighting it on fire. "What the heck?" someone asked, and the girl took note that the students were mesmerized. By the time my mom reached the combustion of gases, the girl had filled up two full pages of notes that covered almost everything from the show. When the show was over, I gave my mom a hug goodbye and walked out of the classroom thinking how cool it was that, thanks to the girl from the school paper, everyone would be able to experience the show, not just the students who had my mom as a teacher.

For a while, I wanted to be a mini-me of my mom. I loved science and saw myself pursuing opportunities in the field because my mom had introduced it to me. But that Halloween, I realized that there's more than just the atomic theory to the world. I realized that every one deserves to experience all the astonishing things that occur everyday, and to become aware of what is happening in the world around them. Like the journalist from the school paper, I've decided to help fill the world with information that people like my mom provide, and hopefully, I can teach my daughter some abnormal things too.

Undergraduate / 'John Lennon's crooked glasses' - UC Personal 2 [3]

THIS IS MY ESSAY FOR THE SECOND UC PROMPT.
-tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution, or experience that is important to you, what about this quality makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

- I'm not a baby, i can take it. say whatever is needed.

John Lennon wore crooked glasses. They were about a half of a centimeter higher on the left side than the right. I know this because I spent three weeks mapping his face out onto a 24x36 inch piece of paper in my Art 3-4 class. The assignment was to create a portrait of someone who had inspired you. I chose John because I thought it would be simple.

Simple, that's just the thing. Simple would be the easiest thing to do, the most convenient. John Lennon, simple? Not even close. I had confused a pair of crooked glasses, long shiny hair, and bushy eyebrows for simple.

Art had always been a natural thing for me, the same way singing was natural for BeyoncĂŠ, but I soon realized that this assignment was going to take a lot more than just ability. I scribbled, scratched, and shaded with my 2H pencil, but could not correctly portray this so-called simple face. The need for me to pay attention to detail forced me to be patient with my work. I had to allow my eyes a chance to recognize miniscule details like the crookedness of his glasses. There was a couple times when I thought I was going to burn the stupid project, but that would also be the easy thing to do. So, why not finish it? For the next few weeks, I focused on this piece the way same way Leonardo focused on Mona Lisa. I drew a grid on my paper and square by square, I sketched John Lennon. The glasses were crooked, the hair was long and shiny, and the eyebrows were bushy. By the time I was ready to paint it, all I had to do was fill in the lines. When I finally finished, I felt like the most successful person to ever walk to planet. The triumphant feeling of overcoming the temptation of taking the easy way out, taught me that hard work really does pay off. John was a beauty.

I walk past the framed portrait of John Lennon everyday. It's a handy reminder that a great achievement does not come easy. Thanks to the deceased rock star a simple single was no longer what I looked for, instead I went after the platinum album. I take much pride in John Lennon but not for the common reason. He showed me how handle crooked glasses, long shiny hair, and bushy eyebrows, and that 24x36 inch piece of paper is not simple.

Undergraduate / holla at yo gurl. second UC prompt. [2]

help a sista out. i have two options for this essay prompt and this is my second one. (which i personally like better)
-here is the prompt in case you don't know it: Tell us about a personal quality, experience, talent, accomplishment, or contribution that is important to you. what about this quality makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

- i can take it, so just say whatever you want.

Art is neither a skill nor a talent, it is a sport. It takes practice like throwing a ball, it requires focus like getting to the finish line, and it demands patience like waiting for the perfect wave. It asks you to pay attention to every last detail. It tells you that your project is awful and it screams give up already. But the best part about this sport is that in the end, it is fearless, forgiving and free.

Anyone can pick up a paintbrush, dip it in their favorite color, and put their mind on a canvas. A piece will begin entirely open to anything and everything, and you may go crazy over deciding what to paint but you will eventually figure it out and begin. Then it will look horrible and you will wonder, "What is wrong with me?" You will want to give up and there will be a trashcan within arm's reach. Then you remember that even though your project resembles the trash that sits in the conveniently located wastebasket, it will be ok because who doesn't love a reckless piece of art? It may take days or weeks but when you finish, you will feel like the most successful person to ever walk the planet. All the stress and frustration you felt will be forgotten. It will be worth it.

Eventually, you will begin to apply this to your every day life. It's a sense of dedication. You will learn to be brave and attack something that may be as small as doing the dishes to as large as solving world hunger and you don't stop until it is done. You will have been taught to see from another point of view and to have an open mind. Noticing John Lennon's crooked glasses while portraying his face on your wall will guide you to having a detailed eye and to look into every aspect. You will be patient while waiting in line at the DMV because over and over again you have had to re-sketch what you thought was perfect.

I am proud that I have played this sport for so many years. It has given me many chances, and every time I have learned that each of these aspects are who I am. Although art had been harsh at times, it has been kind enough to coach me to be more than fearless, forgiving and free.