icaruswalks
Oct 31, 2014
Undergraduate / Caltech ethics and challenge prompt [4]
Prompt: Members of the Caltech community live, learn, and work within an Honor System with one simple guideline; 'No member shall take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community.' While seemingly simple, questions of ethics, honesty and integrity are sometimes puzzling. Share a difficult situation that has challenged you. What was your response, and how did you arrive at a solution? (200 word max)
My mother's had arthritis since I was around three. Until high school I had been able to help my mother without worrying about getting my schoolwork done. However, I have had more difficulty balancing this with my increasing workload the past few years.
Some days I come home late after extracurricular meetings, and I offer to help my mother with the dishes. "I'll be okay. I know you have tests tomorrow," she says. I know her words are genuine, but I regret the times when I choose my work over hers. On days where I help her, I can see the relief she feels knowing she will be able to rest sooner.
I'm sad to see my mother's disability at her young age. I help her whenever I can, and having to make choices such as these allowed me to see that she means more to me than my schoolwork. These experiences have also helped me realize that I will always have conflicting responsibilities, and that I'll have to sacrifice some things for the people I love.
I know writing about an illness in the family is cliche or discouraged so I tried to steer it towards my experiences with this.
I feel like the conclusion is trivial and can be developed more
Thanks!
Prompt: Members of the Caltech community live, learn, and work within an Honor System with one simple guideline; 'No member shall take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community.' While seemingly simple, questions of ethics, honesty and integrity are sometimes puzzling. Share a difficult situation that has challenged you. What was your response, and how did you arrive at a solution? (200 word max)
My mother's had arthritis since I was around three. Until high school I had been able to help my mother without worrying about getting my schoolwork done. However, I have had more difficulty balancing this with my increasing workload the past few years.
Some days I come home late after extracurricular meetings, and I offer to help my mother with the dishes. "I'll be okay. I know you have tests tomorrow," she says. I know her words are genuine, but I regret the times when I choose my work over hers. On days where I help her, I can see the relief she feels knowing she will be able to rest sooner.
I'm sad to see my mother's disability at her young age. I help her whenever I can, and having to make choices such as these allowed me to see that she means more to me than my schoolwork. These experiences have also helped me realize that I will always have conflicting responsibilities, and that I'll have to sacrifice some things for the people I love.
I know writing about an illness in the family is cliche or discouraged so I tried to steer it towards my experiences with this.
I feel like the conclusion is trivial and can be developed more
Thanks!
