Undergraduate / 'religious journey to Mecca, Saudi Arabia' - Common App Essay--Experience and Impact [3]

The sweet smell of musk still suffuses me like the bright lights of the ka'aba as I walk the streets of New York City. In 2010, I embarked on a religious journey to Mecca, Saudi Arabia that did not simply enhance my spiritual faith; rather, it helped me discern that I have a great aspiration to learn about world cultures. At first, I had not realized that the city in which I was standing, with its bustling bazaars and steep hills, would dramatically change my life; the entire scene --with its exceptionally byzantine structures and inexplicable features like the chandeliers hanging from what seemed like ceilings a thousand miles high -- encompassed an incredible amount of diversity. I recognized only a few months later that the countless and ineffable facets comprising and embellishing the city of Mecca are what I want to be surrounded by most. As I walked down the bustling streets of Mecca, under the fervid heat of its sun, I could not stop myself from wondering how I could mold the clay of my life into something more intricate and meaningful.

Often I had imagined the beautiful topographic images of Mecca as only a place where hundreds of thousands of Muslims gather to pray. The massive construction projects taking place in the Holy City outside of the mosque inspired me to ponder upon the simple structure of my own existence and how I could reconstruct the countless bits and pieces of my life to better myself. My consideration of the juxtaposition of the endless rivers of sand, broken roads and discarded detritus surrounding the pristine city center caused me to reflect on an entirely different scene. This image contrasts with the way I imagine the world outside of New York-- the only city I have ever known--to be.

Since birth, my parents have instilled the strict practices of Islam into my everyday life and I have rarely been presented with the opportunity to engage in something different. For this reason, I challenge myself everyday to learn something new about world issues, politics, cultures and religions through my everyday experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. My journey to Mecca has inspired my greater desire to traverse the world from the city where I have established my own psychological and physical home and explore cultures that are completely foreign to me.

Upon my return to New York City that August, I felt motivated to get more involved in the Islamic projects that further complemented my experience in Mecca. I concomitantly became involved in the local and global community by collecting second hand clothes and donating them to local mosques that would subsequently ship them to needy children and mothers in impoverished nations in Africa and Southern Asia. My mother and I invited local Muslim women of varying cultures, races, and ages to the local mosque and our home to teach them how to read and comprehend Arabic and explore current global issues through one another's eyes. My new involvement in local projects and communication with all these new, diverse acquaintances has allowed me to accomplish my goal of broadening my horizons within my home while concurrently exploring the world.

Thanks for your time! (:

Undergraduate / 'history is a perforce' - Cornell Essay [5]

College of Arts and Sciences: Cornell
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.

While history often encompasses the idea of learning from the past so that "mistakes are not repeated," I like to think of the discipline as a creative tool to open the mind to new experiences and forms of art. History, like all subjects, must be applied to a wide variety of topics but is unique because it shapes my individual personality and background.

Although history is a perforce often taught in schools, the most enticing factor is that the actual learning occurs in the world outside of the classroom. I find myself applying the knowledge I acquired in a classroom to the world and imagine the varying perspectives that that somehow coexist. How would life be different if I were a leader of the Civil Rights movement? A ten year old boy living on a farm during the Dust Bowl? Or even the emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China? I often find myself questioning the relevance of who I am and where I come from. Whether we are eating a Mexican Chipotle burrito for dinner or watching the World Cup, we are surrounded by examples of cultural diffusion as a result of the past.

On a personal level, historical context and perspective plays a major role in my spoken word poetry. One of my most enjoyable pieces to write concerned Noor Ibrahim, a former resident of a diverse community known as District Six in Cape Town. Poetry about historical events presents me with opportunities to transcribe my knowledge onto paper in the form of an art. It further allows me to open doors where I am the story-teller of events that have occurred thousands of years ago or a decade ago. My take on history is that it is always in progress and can be the answer to questions as simple as explaining the function of a button or the mechanics of a nuclear bomb.

Both the Cornell Abroad Program and Model United Nations club would comprehensively give me a hands-on opportunities to explore historical instances, sites and perspectives. If accepted to Cornell University, I intend on continuing my participation in the Model United Nations. By doing so, I hope to expand my knowledge of foreign cultures, history, and religions. Pursuing a degree in sociology or political science at Cornell might hopefully allow me to explore my interests on an international scale while connecting with students and professors within the campus as well. Of the array of programs and activities in the Cornell curriculum and campus life, the student-run film society, symphony orchestras, and international exchange programs interest me. The arts programs might present new opportunities to express myself through modern forms that I would not have alternatively been exposed to pursuing a degree in sociology or political science. I would hope, as well, to expand my awareness of other people and ideas owing to the diversity of the Cornell student body.