Undergraduate / Checkmate!, Online Chess; MIT App; Pleasure activity? [4]

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it. (*)(100 words or fewer):

There I was: sitting in my desktop, trying to feel an opponent I could not see, anxiously waiting his turn. Had he foreseen my intentions? I didn't know. I could feel the sweat, slipping through my neck and falling in the depths of my chest, I knew that this was my chance. He made his move, without noticing his deadly mistake. It was my turn. Without doubting, I moved my solitary lady, right beneath my enemy's defense. Checkmate! I love playing online chess in my free time, not only for simple pleasure but also because it teaches you to anticipate the consequences of your decisions.

I would like you to check for any mistakes I made it would be of great help. Thank you!

Undergraduate / MIT EECS provides tools and resources; MIT admission short essay/ Department [6]

Hi, I would like you guys to check my short response to the following thread:

Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? (*) (100 words or fewer):

Since very young I have found in engineering not only a source of joy, but also a solution to daily problems. I live in a country, victim of the war, where the everyday reality brings society new challenges; challenges that I believe someday will be answered through technology. In the future affordable robotics will give back legs, arms and even eyes to those who had to suffer the consequences of violence. I believe that MIT EECS can give me the tools and resources to respond to these needs through the one thing I love the most: engineering.

word count: 97

I would appreciate any correction or suggestion. Thank you!

Undergraduate / Sudden inspiration; MIT/ What attributte of your personality are you most proud of? [3]

Hi guys this is one of my MIT application essays and i would really appreciate any sugerence or correction given that the deadline is tomorrow.

What attribute of your personality are you most proud of, and how has it impacted your life so far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you'd like to tell us about. (200-250 words)

That sudden inspiration that appears in the midst of a challenging problem or inspiring work has been one of the major traits of my personality. Although is a temporary sensation, the enthusiasm and stimulation of the moment has led me to make some lasting works and to success in fields of my interest.

As a child, I used it to imagine my own worlds of medieval battles that worked like epic playgrounds and to invent my own Tolkien-based stories to satisfy my creative spirit and approve my Spanish class in the process. But as I grew into an adult, my interests changed: from sword battles and castles I switched to the fascinating world of logic. Robotics and programming provided me an amazing yet practical tool to resolve daily problems and have fun. This evolution of my interests rather than suppressing my creativity focused it to more practical and meaningful applications.

From this mixture of logic and creativity I gained the certainty that any problem can be resolved. And this believe has given me the necessary resilience to take risks without being afraid of the unavoidable possibility of failure. Now, I see every challenge as an opportunity to come out with a creative, unexpected and yet brilliant solution.

word count: 207

Undergraduate / I was standing in a 324 mts tall structure; CENTRAL TO IDENTITY [3]

Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

I just stood there. My eyes looking forward: paralyzed yet ecstatic. The beautiful panorama in front of me extended broadly and covered all my eyesight. It was a remarkable sunset. One I would never forget, for sure.

Although the beauty of the scenery captivated me, I could not ignore the fact that I was standing in a 324 mts tall structure. I took a deep breath as I quickly glanced at the floor, standing profound beneath me. Mere seconds were necessary for the disturbing sensation to spread from my stomach to my entire body. I shivered.

"Vertigo is not the fear to the height."- said Alejandro, staring at my trembling. "It is the insatiable temptation to fall, from which we defend ourselves completely frightened". He was quoting Kundera.

I looked back at him. His quote sounded poetic and mysterious: it was like it concealed a secret message. I thought about it for a second. If I was perfectly secure behind the bard, then what was my real fear?. All of a sudden I remembered. They came to me like forgotten memories, captured between the lines of shame and pain.

And I saw the kid who had beaten me in four moves at my first chess contest ever. I saw Alba Rocío, my 8th grade teacher, reproving my Spanish essays. I saw myself struggling with my bat robot, and the sparkles that popped up after mixing up the lines of positive and negative. I saw Solano receiving the Maxima Cum Laude. I saw myself falling.

"I cannot look down."-I said. "I'm afraid that I might fall".
"If you ever want to learn fly you will have to learn to fall first."-he replied. And I thought of Icarus facing his abysmal prison, taking a jump to freedom: a flight that would earn the fame of the centuries. He had risked everything he had for his goals, I thought. So can I.

In that moment I finally understood. I would have never earned a fifth place in UNCOLI's chess championship if I have not learned from the kid who beat me in four moves. I might have cried for my bad Spanish grades but I would cherish the lessons that would make me a better writer. Even though I had screwed my first robots I learned electronics, the necessary skill to develop my own robotics projects in the future. I had lost the Cum Laude when it was my main objective, but I won it when I finally discovered that the reward was not the prize itself, but the knowledge and skills earned from dedication and hard work. I had become a resilient person, eager to take risks and to rise up if necessary.

My vertigo was never the fear to the failure. It was the fear to the conformism, to the possibility that it would be easier for me to stand in the floor and never rise up. But as humans even though we might not have the power to control our own destiny we do can choose the attitude we held towards circumstances. And I chose to fight my failures, I chose to rise up.

I finally looked down. The 19th century buildings seemed to shine brighter. And I stared in delight the beautiful Paris crowded with tourists, yet still and frozen in time. I felt happy. My vertigo had vanished and I had uncovered the nature of my true identity. But far more importantly, I was enjoying the view, for the first time.

Undergraduate / I push my way through the crowded path ; World I come from [4]

Hello guys, I need help with this essay. I don't know if my theme is too exploited or cliche or boring and I would like your opinion. I am also open to any corrections you might found:

The road is long between the 45th street and the 127th, the place where I live. The one hour and 7 minutes trip through the worn-out lanes and old concrete buildings of Bogotá is a constant in my daily schedule. When I walk the three steps into the bus I still have to plan my robotics project for the next day, I still have homework to do, I still have to brace myself for swimming, but these banal affairs no longer matter in a trip into the pitfall.

As I push my way through the crowded path towards the exit, a smiling woman asks me for the hour. "It's 6:20"- I respond. A few minutes later, in the comfort of my house I will discover she had just stolen my wallet. This is a reality, an everyday issue, and I cannot ignore it. Many have built their own secluded castles in an attempt to live a dream. I cannot afford to do so; it would be incoherent with my principles.

People blame the politicians, the economy, the armed conflict, but in a society where these problems are everyone's, we all have to acknowledge responsibility. If I am to change the world I will have to start by changing myself first, only by being an example will I change those around me. This is why I pursue education. I believe it could be the answer, not by getting a good job and fleeing, but by using it to make things right.

Thank you guys for reading!