Undergraduate / UC - embracing a world beyond the classroom [3]

UC prompt 2 - Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you
The subject of English has eluded me from the moment of its introduction. There are a million ways to be right and wrong at the same, and consequently, English has always felt like a game of chance. I coped by writing with my gut and abandoning any form of structure taught, especially, since every year, I was taught something new. It just happened to be that the teachers from the past 15 years liked what I wrote and I never bothered to change my approach or style. If everyone were happy, then why would I need to?

That was the thinking before I met Ms. M in sophomore English class. She certainly made it clear that my methods, or lack thereof, would do no good her class. I needed to adapt, to organize myself, and to use more than my gut. She made us analyze the analysis and taught us to connect the whole picture. I didn't just learn how to write essays about books, but rather, I learned to express myself in a concise way that also produced a meaningful message that my audience could take away from.

The books I was forced to read made me question my beliefs about the world. Suddenly, there was no one right answer. Everyone had a different viewpoint; they came from a different side of the argument. How could George kill his best friend Lenny? Are we inherently evil? Why did the noble Othello fall so easily to a scumbag like Iago? Doing what was right did not mean justice was achieved, and the best of men become the worst of villains. I felt like a person who had just seen the sun for the first time. My foundations of English were barely standing as I tried to find some structure and support in my writing.

For me to succeed in Ms. M's class, I had to shed my innocence and delve into the hypocrisy that I had always despised. The books were like bridges to the real world, a world my siblings and parents often protected me from. It was painful and disorientating, but this shedding of innocence was not just about facing the hypocrisy and evils but also about obtaining the ability to hope when all odds are against you, whether you are in a classroom or battlefield.

Ms. M taught me to appreciate the beauty of subtle context, how one line can be explicated through a whole paragraph. For what I learned and the life long friends I gained in that torturous English class, it was worth the stress and anxiety. I suppose the beauty of English and the world lied in its ambiguity, how one object can have such different meanings for everyone. Next time I face a class that has shaken my foundations and leaves my mind in utter chaos, which I undoubtedly believe will occur, I will be prepared to persevere and work tirelessly to achieve my goal because it has certainly never failed me before.

After that long, arduous year in Ms. M's class, I stepped away from pouring my soul over academics. I wanted to be a part of this imperfect world. The classroom could never replace the real world in terms of experience although Ms. M was not too far off. I joined service clubs that served the underprivileged and started volunteering at a convalescent hospital. Instead of shying away from the uncertainty of the world, as I always had before, I am eager to explore and experience the hardships that are to come because I want to become more than I am today.

Thanks for reading!

Undergraduate / Dentistry -getting to know me more than a collection of test scores and class [4]

Dentistry is a scrupulous art that makes science come alive. The brushes can range from the slender drill to the broad bird beaks. The paints must be carefully chosen to veil any evidence of restoration. The tooth is a sculpture, carefully carved to blend in with the rest of its environment. Dentistry, the perfect blend of science and art, has become something I undoubtedly want to pursue.

Truthfully, I found dentistry because I couldn't afford, in terms of money and resources, to research at an institute or volunteer at a distant hospital. My oldest brother had always been pushing me to pursue dentistry because of the financial stability and flexible hours the profession offered. As the last child and only girl of the family, I knew my brother's intentions were pure, but I would never choose a career for the sole purpose of making money. If I have to do something for fifty years, then I want a job that requires an array of interdisciplinary skills and challenges me to adapt. Before, I perceived dentistry as monotonous and thankless job.

I was convinced to shadow a dentist for day on the premise that I could at the least gain some experience in a health care office. On the first day, I basically memorized a speech for my meeting with Dr. Gonzalez to avoid lapsing into silence at any questions directed towards me, but nowadays, the interaction with patients has taught me the fine technique of formal and improvised conversations. My mentor, Dr. Gonzalez, earnestly explains every question I have, from dealing with uncooperative patients to illustrating the intricacies of orthodontic brackets. Along every step into this world of dentistry, I found a new aspect that seems to mirror my own personality and preferences. There is so much to learn at all times, and as a resident of the ever-changing technological age, I greatly appreciate how dentistry is constantly shifting to accommodate new applications and techniques. The direct results of dentistry connect me to the people where I volunteer on a personal level and keep me motivated.

I don't like to surmise about the future too much but lately, it has been as questions what I will do with dentistry than why I would want to be apart of this versatile field.

note: Thank you for reading