Undergraduate / Common apps topic 1: Odyssey of the Mind [4]

hi (:

this is common apps in response to the first prompt: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

I kinda need to know if those who dont know OM actually get what I'm writing about? and is OM well know in the States?

Odyssey of the Mind
My dream came true. I was finally given the opportunity to travel independently to the United States of America, the land of freedom and opportunities and the place where I hope to pursue my undergraduate education. Odyssey of the Mind (OM) presented me with such unprecedented opportunities. I was exposed to creative problem solving skills and interpersonal skills much needed for tertiary education. Of course, beyond being a platform for learning and exploration, OM also gave me some of the most memorable experiences I will treasure for the rest of my life.

OM emphasizes on creative problem solving and overcoming the challenges and setbacks presented to us. I met my first setback even before OM started. I was pulled apart from my teammates and thrown headfirst into a brand new senior division team filled with faces I did not recognize because of my age. I had always been a year older than my peers ever since I came to Singapore from China, but this age gap has never bothered me until then. According to the guidelines, I had to be grouped with the seniors in grade nine and ten even though I was only in grade eight. Initially I negotiated with the teacher, as I was not willing to accept such an arrangement. However, I realized that many things in life do not work out the way we want them to, so I tried to adapt to the new situation. At the first meeting, the initial awkwardness did not last long as I broke the ice with jokes and made a point to talk to every single one of the members. Soon the tension ebbed and by the end of the session, I felt I was truly being received as a member. I discovered that all of them were Chinese students who just came to Singapore for less than four months. At that point, I felt an innate sense of responsibility to orientate them to the life in Singapore, to introduce to them the different cultures, practices, festivals and best places to "makan" ("eat" in Malay). They in turn treated me like a little sister and provided me with valuable guidance in the technical aspects of the problem solving process.

I was both impressed and disheartened by the technical nature of the OM problem handled by the senior team, because I was initially selected in the audition for my acting ability and spontaneity in verbal presentation for acting-based OM problems. Working with senior members who are much more experience in electronics, construction and programming than me was not an easy task. Being a Top Biology student in the cohort did not help with soldering red and black wires into tiny holes on a little green board with undecipherable markings. Due to my lack of knowledge in mechanics, I was sidelined when it came to constructing the small vehicles, which were supposed to overcome five obstacle courses. However, I took initiative to learn more about constructing lightweight vehicles with CDs as wheels for increased speed in movement, and continuous tracks for stairs climbing. I also conducted research on the Internet and consulted with my father who is a leads an electrical. Being part of the technical team opened my eyes to a new world of mechanics and programming. This interest also led me to later study H1 Physics on top of my main subjects of Biology and Chemistry so as to broaden my scientific knowledge and to be equipped with the relevant skills for interdisciplinary scientific studies in the future.

On top of constructing electrical vehicles from scratch for the first time, OM also gave me many other "first's" of my life: using a soldering iron, handling a driller, visiting electrical components shops, travelling to the USA... Even though they can be daunting, I never stopped trying and enjoying myself. I grew to embrace the unknown and face new challenges head-on, notably travelling overseas without my parents, which excited me to the extent of having sleepless nights. At the same time, I was apprehensive about competing overseas and the challenges that came with it. In order to get ready for the International Finals after being crowned as champions at the National Finals in Singapore, we had to scale down our props and saw them into parts so they can be dismantled. Competing in the international arena presented additional pressures, which pushed me to stay later to rehearse the script and sew the costumes. Being the member who spent the longest time being English-educated in Singapore, I helped my seniors with pronunciation and diction. My past experiences in chinese dance and choir also helped the team to improve our script and acting standards. Working together almost 24/7 with my OM team bonded us like sisters as we learn from and learned about one another.

Despite having a few different team members during my three consecutive years in OM as seniors graduated and new juniors filled in the vacancies, I was able to impart the knowledge I gained from past OM experiences to the juniors. OM became my main dedication and commitment as we won national finals and representing Singapore annually in Colorado, Iowa and Michigan from 2005 to 2007. I cannot imagine what my secondary school life would be like without OM. My teams and I literally poured our blood, sweat and tears into OM as we "ate OM, dreamt OM and lived OM". Each day we spend nine to ten hours before, between and after lessons to work on our sets, costumes and vehicle propulsion systems, staying in school till midnight even if we had to wake up the next day at 6am for school. Time management became a crucial skill and prioritizing was second nature. Despite the heavy dedication of time in OM, I was still able to receive the Raffles Scholar Award for academic excellence, Merit Performance my achievement in Red Cross Youth Singapore, and Merit Service for serving in the Buckle House Committee.

During OM, we were allowed to unleash our creativity in interpreting the problem and creating refreshing plots, interesting characters and creative vehicles. More than being an odyssey the mind, it was a passage of self-discovery, a process of learning, and most importantly, a forging of friendships. The skills I learned from OM will certainly benefit me in college as well as contribute to future success in my career.

any feedback is welcome!! thanks ((:

Undergraduate / My New "Job" / Odyssey of the Mind - Being A Big Sister, common apps essay (own topic) [5]

hi (: I need some feedback and editting of my common apps essay. I chose my own topic which is being a sister to a 6-yr old brother (:

is this gonna get me any closer to ivy schools? xD i was thinking of writing about participation in Odyssey of the Mind but is it a well-known competition in the US? i participated as an international participant from singapore (:

My New "Job" - Being A Big Sister

The 22nd of November, 2003, was a special day in more ways than one. Anxiety and excitement gripped me as I waited in the Bukit Timah Primary School hall for the release of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results. After an agonizing fifteen minutes wait, the results were finally announced and I was beaming from ear to ear as I had the second best score in my school. As the PSLE was the first major exam that I had ever sat for, my outstanding results served as the first real confirmation of my abilities and reward for my relentless pursuit for knowledge.

As some basked in glorious victory while others suffered heartbreaking defeat, my own happiness was short lived. My wait was not over and the apprehensiveness never ceased, because that was not the end of the momentous day; I was about to have a new "job" of being a sister.

It was the weirdest feeling thinking that I was going to have a baby brother, as I had been the only child in the family for thirteen years. There was a new-found sense of responsibility, as well as trepidation and an unspeakable fervor. I could not wait to see him, but at the same time it was difficult for me to appreciate the fact that I was going to have a younger brother with such a large age gap. However, I was confident that I could be the perfect role model for my little brother.

Then I found out that I could not be more wrong - my new job was far from easy. My image of me being a patient and loving sister was thrown out of the window. Dealing with my brother required skills far beyond those I acquired from teaching children in the Children's Reading Club Community Involvement Program. His restless and mischievous nature made it really difficult for me to teach him anything at all. Initially, I felt compelled to discipline my brother as a figure of authority because I had high expectations of him; in my 13-year-old mind, he had to be obedient, intelligent and lovable. On hindsight, I was unreasonable and expected him to be attentive all the time, and not cry at the slightest reprimand. I thought being firm and stern would be in his best interest.

This shortsightedness could probably be attributed to my expectations in life. I am a self-professed perfectionist, and possess the tenacity to work well past midnight just to perfect that educational Red Cross Youth booklet for that Social Studies project, or stay in school till midnight to rehearse for the Odyssey of the Mind International Finals in USA. I translated what I expected of myself and my peers in my daily school life onto my little brother and treated him like a grown-up. I probably took my "job" too seriously, without realizing that my brother simply needed my encouragement and gentle tolerance.

When I taught my brother English vocabulary and spelling for the first time, I failed to bring any joy into learning. I told him that if he did not try hard enough and get the answers right, I would not let him play downstairs with his friends. He panicked and could not concentrate. Pangs of guilt gripped my heart as I stared at his little face contorted in a frown, eyes brimming with tears but I pushed him harder as I just could not comprehend why he could not remember what he learned just seconds ago.

Eventually, I was the one who needed to be educated by my father on the right way to teach my brother. I learned that when educating children, I should use words of encouragement instead of criticism. In order to bring joy and fun into learning, I created anecdotes and used everyday events such as washing dishes, going to kindergarten or even watching television to introduce new vocabulary. When he made mistakes, I would say "Adam is a smart boy, so he's bound to get it right the second try" instead of "That's wrong. Do it again". I realized that repetition works best for kids his age, so I made a point to make him repeat the pronunciation and spelling of each word at least five times. Connecting words to real life situations made my brother remember them better and in no time he was able to spell almost every word I taught him. I felt a sense of pride and joy as my brother looked forward to me teaching every time. Gone was the pained expression he would unfailingly sport when he failed to escape, and gone were the days when he would do anything to evade my lessons.

Now, I believe I can empathize with my parents to a certain extent when they were bringing me up. The kind of love, patience and dedication required really made me appreciate my parents a lot more. I also became a much more patient and tolerant person as I learned to condone his "works of art" on my worksheets, borrowing my pens without permission and wearing my high-heeled shoes. Gradually, as I became more involved in his life, I wanted to share the joy of his accomplishments and used my own pocket money to buy chocolates for him as rewards. I also made birthday cards for him and taught him to play simple duets with me on the piano. Since 2003, I have been learning something new about my brother every single day: his gurgled speech, his faux hip-hop dance moves, his tantrums and his endearing smooches on my cheeks. I learned to appreciate and grew to love the way he imitates Doraemon when he tries to score sympathy points with my parents.

My brother showed me how to be a daughter, a sister and a friend. Up till now, I never stop learning to be a big sister as I know I can always be better than what I am. Each passing day loved him more as I witness his growing up and transformation into a sensible young man. The six years with my brother have flown past in a blink of an eye; as I am sitting by my computer, applying for universities, it seems like just yesterday when the emotions of that fateful day at the end of Primary Six surged through me. Soon as I embark on my undergraduate studies, I will have to leave my home and live in a place far from my parents and my little brother. I am going to treasure every minute of the remaining eight months that I am spending with my family, especially my brother, as he is growing up so fast that I might not recognize him the next time I see him. I really hope that twenty years down the road, when I may already have my own children while he just graduates from College, we will still remain the best of siblings.

essay 2: Odyssey of the Mind

https://essayforum.com/undergraduate/common-apps-topic-odyssey-mind-12711/