Undergraduate / "I heard about anthropology" - Cornell supplement essay [2]

Describe your intellectual interests, their evolution, and what makes them exciting to you. Tell us how you will utilize the academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences to further explore your interests, intended major, or field of study.

I heard about anthropology for the first time from a TV Show named Bones and I found it very encompassing. I have always been the kind of person who's interested in almost everything: mathematics, physics, politics, teaching, law, biology, history and I always wanted to do something challenging that I feel comfortable doing.

I have heard some people say they go to work because they have to and not because they want to and they do the job they do not like for ten years or more. I don't want to be one of those people. I want to love my work and I want it to be interesting; I want something new to happen everyday. And that is exactly what I saw in anthropology; diversity rather than repetitive. I find this academic field an option to gain as much knowledge, because I enjoy learning and expanding my horizon along with my appreciation for life.

Anthropology does not exist in Albania. I had to surf on the internet to learn more about anthropology. Nevertheless, I have to say it was a great experience. Not being able to learn about anthropology in my own country because of the lack of it, I decided I wanted to be the first person to create students opportunity to learn anthropology in their own country.

Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences supports students by utilizing resources in helping them understand life in a comprehensive way, provides close interaction between professors and students by allowing students to achieve and consume everything the professors have to offer, provides enjoyment and experiences outside of class that will allow me to reach my full potential and will continue to give me an opportunity to enjoy intercultural encounters, by exchanging ideas and dialogue.

Undergraduate / "an ammunition depot exploded" - Common Application Short Answer [4]

It was Saturday, March 15, 2008, when an ammunition depot a couple miles outside Tirana exploded. From the explosion were confirmed 26 victims including children, and more than 200 people were injured. Every house within a two mile radius was destroyed. Families had no place to live and nothing to eat.

A week after the explosion, my friends and I, in collaboration with a youth group, organized a show for the little kids that were affected by the explosion. All we wanted was to make those children forget about what had happened to their families and homes. We could not help with medical care for the ones that were injured; neither could we contribute with money donations.

However, we made those children smile by playing games and giving them small presents. We showed support by giving them clothes and food, and we showed them love by being there for them. I will not forget the children's faces when we were about to leave. Sometimes, the world looks brighter from behind a smile.

Undergraduate / Barack O'bama is doing nothing for the Americans- Influential Intellectual Experience [6]

For four months I have heard my friends from Riverside complain about how Barack O'bama is doing nothing for the Americans, or how they don't like taxes on candies and water bottles. It surprises me they discuss and talk about policies at our school with which they don't agree during Current World Issues class, and after the period is over, they leave the classroom locking and forgetting those thoughts away. That is when I started thinking these teenagers have a lot to give, their opinions and thoughts are as helpful and worthy as any other's opinion and that is when I first thought of the American Youth Parliament.

The AYP started as a need to build a communication bridge not only between youth in the United States, but worldwide as well, by giving them an opportunity to explore their abilities and limits. This non-partisan and independent educational project enables the transmission of ideas, innovative learning, and independent thinking. But more importantly, it gives youth the chance to be part of the change they want to make in their community and country. Living in the United States, walking with these youth everyday, hearing their thoughts, their complains and opinions, I have come to realize that the AYP will not only discover new talents, but will also add more diversity to their lives.

During the last past year I became part of the European Youth Parliament where I got involved in my community and nationwide, and made good friends. I also got the opportunity to be one of three delegates who represented Albania in the 13th Regional Session of the EYP Poland. Because of these life-changing experiences, I want my American friends to experience and increase their knowledge toward social and political influence, enrich their culture, and engage in demonstrating democratic values in their country and other countries as well.

The AYP functions like the European Youth Parliament. Students divided into committees discus topics related to different present problems and write resolutions on how they think the problems can be solved. This gives students a chance to interact with people from different backgrounds, share their ideals, work and collaborate toward providing a brighter future. But the AYP is not just about debating on certain topics. Furthermore it is about making friends, playing games, having fun and being heard. Some may believe teenagers don't know what can be done to encourage innovative entrepreneurship in the context of current economic and financial crisis. Others don not take us serious. The AYP is a chance to be heard. Unlike adults, we see the world in a different and innovative perspective.

Being the head organizer of the first session to be held in Washington April-May 2011 is a privilege and a real challenge between believing in succeeding, fear of failure and lack of experience. Nevertheless, I can find many reasons that will make this journey interesting and worthy. I believe this generation will be the future of this country, thus it is time for us to stand and make a change!

Undergraduate / "[But a] heart makes you a champion." [4]

"[But a] heart makes you a champion."
I was on my way to the Cross-Country Regional Tournament when I first heard these words. I questioned their reliability and that is the moment I started thinking about what had happened so far during the season.

Joining cross country was a spontaneous decision. While staying home all week, I felt the need to do something new and challenging. I felt the need to be part of something bigger than what I was used to seeing my whole life. I had never run before and that is because I come from a very small country where running is not a sport option. Thus, running was exactly what I was looking for; an opportunity to finally take responsibility for what I thought I would never like and to be part of a team. Running seemed to be the right decision.

The Regional Tournament was held in Walla Walla Park. During the time we were walking through the race course I knew this race would be my race. I had to do well because I was not only representing my school, I was also representing myself and more important, my country as an exchange international student from Albania. Yet I knew it was not going to be easy. What I have learned up until now is that beautiful things aren't easy to achieve.

I was standing at the starting line and I was feeling very excited. My goal for the day was to finish the race no matter what it would take. When the gun fired I started running. I have heard people saying the first mile is always the hardest one but somehow I always felt it to be easy for me. I was running and with all the excitement I had, I couldn't feel anything. However, right after the first mile I started hunching over because my stomach began hurting. I ignored it and tried not to think of it, but it kept getting worse. I told myself no matter what I would finish. My heart and my mind wanted me to finish the race, but my body wouldn't let me. It almost made me give up, quit. It made me want to walk away and pretend it didn't matter. What if I walked away from it? What would have happened if I just gave up right then? Then would I be walking away, not only from small things, but bigger and much more important things as well?

I pushed myself for almost half a mile and my stomach was hurting much more every second I kept running. It felt like someone was punching me so hard, I could barely run another ten feet. Finally, I stopped almost in tears. My coach was right behind me asking if I was OK. But I couldn't be OK. I had just given up. I felt disappointed and livid with my body.

I wanted to sit down at our tent and stay there. It had been hard for me; the practices, new friends, a completely new environment and mentality, a new family, but I worked myself hard. At least, that was what I thought thus far.

As I sat near the edge of the tent I saw a man walking toward me. He was probably in his forties and was wearing grey sweats. He asked me if I was feeling OK. He'd been watching me and just wanted to make sure I was feeling well. I nodded at him, but said nothing else. Then, he came closer and said something like this:

"Your health is much more important than any other thing right now. In fact it should always be the most important thing. I saw you pushing yourself for more than I had thought anyone would push running and hurting that bad. You know, we all have to lose sometimes before we can win; we have to cry sometimes before we can smile, and we have to hurt, before we can be strong. But if you keep working and believing, you will have victory in the end."

His words left me speechless. Somehow I found them true. This man who I didn't even know came up to me and made me realize what I had been looking for during this journey. Not only my health was important and that I had to listen to my body, but also I didn't need someone to tell me I had won. I didn't need someone to give me a trophy, nor write my name down on a gold plate to make me feel proud of myself. Winning is not about getting a medal; it is about learning as much as possible from that experience and putting those new things into life. Cross country isn't about being the first or the fastest. Neither is it about racing other people. The only person you are racing out there is yourself!

Racing taught me to challenge myself. It taught me to push beyond where I thought I could go. It helped me to find out of what I am truly made.