Undergraduate / The Body I Love - University of Chicago Extended essay [2]

The Prompt: How Did You Get Caught Or Not Caught as the Case may be?

one or two pages.

The Body I Love

Fad diets, supplement pills, numerous gyms, varieties of green tea and slimming tea, the forceful morning 5-mile runs. None of them worked, like I even wanted them to. Since I was much younger I was always the tallest and heaviest girl. I would cry my self to sleep every night until the 10th grade. My mom always tried to "help me" or "fix me" did I need to be fixed? I wasn't not morbid, But, I simply wasn't a size -5 like the world and my mom wanted me to be.

"You have a very beautiful face. Just drop down to a size 12 or 14" Blah. Blah. Blah.
* * * * Ephaiany * * * *
I didn't care, I still don't care and I will never care. People never understood why it never bothered me. Why would it? I'm only a size 18, and I'm healthier than half the girls who are naturally slimmer than me. I had even been asked in the 9th grade if the fat in my body affected the way I thought. They called me naïve. Naïve? Am I supposed to conform to the norms? Is everyone supposed to be skinny like in magazines? I would come home from school during summer and Christmas or see people I hadn't seen in a long time, and the first thing would be "Did you lose weight" or "Do you go to the gym at school"?

Most of my friends looked up to me, and still do. I never let anyone bring me down, I never let the words get to me. It's so pointless. When I become the Minister of Health of Nigeria, or Lebron Jame's wife, or even the Queen of Saudi Arabia will it matter? I have big dreams, and my weight will never and should never come in the way of that. Once again, will my size matter? I've tried my best to help others who are plus-sized become healthy and not lose weight. However, society is cruel and sends off messages into the robots we are and tells us what to do. Who sets the standards for what people should look like?

Like Baby Suggs, holy from Beloved, I believe people of different shapes and sizes should embrace the body their in. This message is one that has been passed along for a while, but is never taken into consideration, however, there are quite a few people just as myself, who will never be caught crying over hurtful words from ignorant people. Drop a few pounds? I'd rather die.

Undergraduate / "my desire for learning?" - Why University of Chicago? [7]

Please Help Me Edit, or give suggestions!!
The Propmt: How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to Chicago. ONE PARAGRAPH OR TWO

My Input!
What is my desire for learning? I never really knew. Until now. College should be a place where I'll be prepared for the future, as society tells us. However, up until recently I never knew what made me like a college, what magic I feel when I think about attended a certain college. What it would feel like to say - "I go to ..." "The College" seems right, with students from every where, a place where knowledge is believed to enrich humanity and where ideas matter. I have lost my dreams and ideas, not out of lack of courage or strife, much too often because of the world's few evil people. University of Chicago gives me the hope I need to transform and thrive for my ideas and aspirations to become the Minister of Health of Nigeria, to increase awareness about sexual abuse in African countries. With U of C, I'll be able to "think critically", and have the guidance I need to fulfill these goals.

To me, it all fits at University of Chicago, the social life and academic life. However, what seems to catch my eyes more than anything during this strenuous college application process is U of C's diversity efforts and initiatives. As President of my school's multicultural and sexual orientations group (R.I.S.E & S.O.A.R- Reach out In Support of Ethnicity and Sexual Orientations Accepted and Respected) and a student from "The Global School", diversity and ethical vivacity is the second most important thing after awareness for human rights regarding physical abuse. When I learnt University of Chicago was a center for diversity I opened about 23 tabs, regarding diversity. From the International House to a curriculum filled with equality and diversity scheme, and even groups like WYSE, University of Chicago completes all I want in a college. As a young woman, who has spent most of her life in 3 different countries (U.S.A, U.K and Nigeria) and learning 5 different cultures (American, Nigerian, British, Indian, and French), I will be able to contribute to the Universities social and academic aspects, and join a "world-class education, world-class city" and a single experienced student.