Undergraduate / CommonApp Essay PS - the effect of Chess on my life [3]

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.

If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

As I glanced across the battlefield, my opponent's regiment stood weak. His general was unprotected, and his knights were surrounded. With no clear conquest in sight, salvation seemed like his only choice. Yet he looked relaxed, controlled. Was I missing something? Perhaps a fatal flaw in my perfect defense? I looked down at my army, and as my composed soldiers stared at me with a look of belief, I felt at peace. "We are all in this together!" I announced, more confident than ever. I ordered my warriors to fall into place and declared, "Check."

My foe's face lit up with joy. I had missed something, something big. Surveying the front, I searched and searched for my mistake. But I could not find it. I felt useless. I rested my head in my hands, closed my eyes, and regretted everything. Why had I shown up for this competition if I was not capable of winning? Why did I not think harder about each move? Just as I thought everything was going well, I had failed. As the clock ticked, I waited painfully for the sound of my downfall. A few minutes later, it came.

I raised my head slowly. This is it. This is where I lose. Staring at the board, I still didn't see my mistake. My opponent had made a simple move, one I had originally expected. Am I still missing something? I looked at my rival curiously, and what I saw shocked me. He seemed angry, hopeless. And then it hit me. I never made a mistake; my opponent only thought I had made one. Adrenaline rushed through my veins as my heart pounded in delight. I was winning. Confidently, I commanded my soldiers to move into position and pushed the clock. I was going to win.

Growing up, I was never confident in myself. I always felt like I was not capable of achieving. I would put on a persona for those around me that I believed in myself, but I didn't. Finding chess changed that for me. It gave me a platform to prove to myself that I am capable of anything, and I did that by winning competitions and competing nationally. Chess changed my life and ever since I came across the game, my belief in myself has never stopped growing. Since then, I have found programming - which showed me a world in which I was in control, where I could create anything I wanted. I would spend any time I could find in this ether, starting projects and learning languages. I even started a business with some friends in the space and turned over 6 figures in the 2 years we ran it. My confidence has never been higher, and the experiences I have had because of chess have been amazing.

When I think of my younger self, I see a lost individual with no faith in himself. I see a boy who fears taking a step forward in case there is no going back. I see a child who has no idea what he is capable of. All it took was a push, a confidence boost. It can come in all forms; such as a hobby or interacting with others, or it can even come in the shape of a small 1500-year-old board game.