Undergraduate / The heart beating inside me isn't the traditional Valentine's Day heart I always knew it to be. [3]

As it turns out, the heart beating inside me isn't the traditional Valentine's Day heart I always knew it to be. For 8-year-old me, this was quite the heartbreak (pun intended). My dainty heart doodles, my fluffy heart pillow, my pink heart shirt had betrayed me. If those weren't hearts then what was?

That terrifying moment marked the beginning of my love for science and human anatomy. But nothing intrigues me more than my fellow heart. Its intricacy, its command, its strength baffles me. The heart is a system of itself, intimately intertwined with the nervous and endocrine systems. It doesn't ask for much, yet it continues to pump blood around the body with its faithful, steady beat. I often wonder how I live my life clueless to the excitement buzzing within me. I've dug through various books and journals to cure my curiosity. All provide a myriad of information about its structure and functions, but none leave me satisfied. The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know, pushing me to dig even deeper. Chances are the answers are right in front of me, but I'm asking the wrong questions. It disappoints me that my efforts have led to mere ambiguity, but they've only driven me to further study this muscle. The heart will continue to bewilder me, but it's nothing I can't handle. I will solve this enigma and learn its silent language.

Thanks for editing! (College supplemental essay: What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way?)

Undergraduate / "I've always wanted to keep a diary. " UVA Quirk Essay [3]

Describe one of your quirks and why it is part of who you are.

It took me ages to think of one I could write about. Please edit critically! I could use all the help I can get.

I've always wanted to keep a diary. After reading Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries, I tried on multiple occasions but failed. Neither do I have the dedication nor the patience to daily scribble away pages of my endless adventures. And as it turns out, Mia Thermopolis discovering she's a princess has much more to say than I do. But even after my fifth attempt, I refused to throw out my "diary". I decided I'd keep it for whenever I did find something to write about. Five years later, I'm glad I did. Writing in my diary is now an essential part of my day. And it's my unique quirk because I write not in the way Mia does. I don't pour out my emotions and describe my every activity. I've never been able to fill pages with empty talk, and that's why traditional "Dear Diary" entries never work for me. I tweeze out the spark from my quotidian life, good or bad. Never a page or a paragraph. Just a line or two. About an unexpected challenge. A peculiar stranger. An act of kindness. In desperate times, the changing weather. I want to look back and remember more than a conventional life but not necessarily a perfect one. Time is slipping by, and my one line entries grab snippets for me to revisit in the future. I will learn from my mistakes. And I will smile at my accomplishments. But cherish I will them both.

Undergraduate / Makeup is my weak spot- Common App Essay [2]

"Please call your local store for product availability. Quantities are limited."
My heart pounded out of my chest as I read those frightening words. What if Champagne Pop sold out? I could never get my hands on one except for those selling for three times the price on eBay. It was expensive like the other cosmetics yet different. Sparkling. Twinkling. My AP Bio lab report lay on my bed untouched, yet there I was, drooling over a highlighter. I couldn't help but stare at its glamorous pictures on Sephora's website, convincing me all the more how much I needed it. Becca's Champagne Pop was calling out to me.

I discovered my passion for makeup in seventh grade when I watched my first tutorial on YouTube: Peacock Eye Makeup. Since then, I've loved playing with makeup. I generally limit myself to buying affordable products from the drugstore otherwise I'd become broke within days. But this time, I craved the luxurious forty dollar Champagne Pop. I couldn't get it out of my mind.

Stop wasting time!" I scolded myself. This was highly unlike me. I'm the girl who completes her work in school, not scurrying to finish last minute. I'm the biology nerd who teaches herself the curriculum over the summer. And I'm not self-absorbed. I aspire to become a doctor to help others and will persevere through any challenges I face.

The last thing I want to be considered is frivolous because I like to look pretty and love makeup. I enjoy being that girl who interns at a clinic, writes blogs and travels to refugee camps. I finish my work early and religiously follow my meticulous schedule. I consider myself a mature individual with a realistic outlook on life. In fact, I pride myself for having my priorities straight.

However, makeup is my weak spot. I love the confidence it inspires in me. It gives me the power to express myself artistically. Many believe makeup is for those insecure about their flaws, but I disagree. Makeup isn't about hiding, it's about highlighting. It's an art for both the subtlest and the most dramatic transformations. And most importantly, it's fun. I'm not going to lie: most days I'm in sweats and my dad's oversized t-shirts, but sometimes it feels good to glam up. Never ask me why I'm late if I'm rocking winged eyeliner and killer cheekbones.

Makeup allows me to escape the demands of real life. It is my haven for solace in and away from home. Without it, my life would not be half as wonderful as it is today. I've learned that it's okay to splurge once in a while for the little things that make me happy. I cherish Champagne Pop today as much as I did when it first arrived in the mail. It's more than a highlighter for me. It's my first act of spontaneity, my break from prudence. It gave me an adrenaline rush like never before. Although I strive for a career in medicine, I love that I have much to learn about and from the world of makeup. It's still difficult for the frugal side of me to justify my purchase, but wearing forty dollars on your cheekbones has its own charm. Money can't buy happiness, but it buys me makeup which is basically the same thing.

This is probably my 11th draft. Please criticize/comment freely. Thanks a lot!