Undergraduate / 'a maroon elephant' - Johns Hopkins- Additional Interests [9]

This is my first draft only so there may be awkward sentence constructions or grammatical mistakes. But it's also about 250 words too long and I'm not even sure if this idea is good, or if I should totally get rid of this essay and pick a new angle or interest to write on...

Tell us something about yourself or your interests that we wouldn't learn by looking at the rest of your application materials.

It began when my grandmother gifted me with a maroon elephant, the size of a fingernail. At the young age of nine, I was enthralled by its delicate handiwork and since then, I have been collecting elephants. Neatly arranged in the formation of an om on top of my bookshelf, the figurines all possess their own story, and the symbolism behind these works of art is as meaningful as the pieces themselves. Though these wonderful conversation starters have a knack for beautifying my room, their spiritual value is an ever-present connection to my Indian heritage.

Dancing Ganesh, crafted in stone by my dance guru's husband: Following my Arangetram, my guru's family presented me with this elephant as a reminder to my strong dedication to Indian art forms. It is not only bharatanatyam that has been part of my life, but also Bollywood and folk dancing, Carnatic classical music, and yoga. Though I, myself, do not sing, I expose myself to as many of the classical arts as I can by attending performances and visiting art museums. I perform Bollywood pieces with my friends for nearly every Indian festival and take opportunities to learn as many regional folk dances as possible, such as Maharashtran lavani, and Gujurati dandia and garba.

Wooden bookmark, with two elephants and goddess, Saraswati embossed in gold: Saraswati enforces the sacredness of knowledge, which I uphold in my various pursuits. Fluent in two Indian languages, Tamil and Telugu, and having taught myself Hindi, I am currently pursuing Sanskrit. My love for reading is not limited. Whether it is a teen fantasy novel, such as The City of Angels, or the latest research paper, in Scientific American, on telomere shortening, I become engrossed in my reading material.

Three clay elephants with mirrors and gem stones embedded into black stone, decorated to represent various parts of India: Painted and heavily decorated in jewels, elephants are paraded for various Indian festivals. Though unable to be around such grand festivities in America, I uphold these celebrations in various ways such as getting together in the park for Holi, the festival of colors, and dancing to the beat of the drums, or lighting the house with hundreds of oil lamps for Diwali, the festival of lights. My love for culture is evident not only in the ways I uphold my own, but also in my exposure to others; I have attended church services with my friends, witnessed Jewish ceremonies, and listened to Islamic musical concerts.

Ganesh made of gunmetal, decorated with red and orange garlands around his neck: Given to me by grandparents during my "coming of age" ceremony in India, this piece evokes memories of incense, oil lamps, and jasmine flowers, but most importantly, the feeling of togetherness. During a time when family and friends came together from all over India and America, it was the first day we were all united.

To the average eye, my elephant collection's purpose merely seems to add an Indian flavor to my American bedroom; however, it serves a greater purpose in holding my memories and linking me to my culture.

Undergraduate / 'anatomy, yoga, and nutritional chemistry books' - Johns Hopkins [13]

Johns Hopkins offers 50 majors across the schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering. On this application, we ask you to identify one or two that you might like to pursue here. Why did you choose the way you did? If you are undecided, why didn't you choose?

Curled up in a sofa at the library, I sat among stacks of anatomy, yoga, and nutritional chemistry books, and researched. I was three months into my Arangetram training and already, things had become difficult: my spine affected my form, my anemia caused low endurance, and my intolerance toward sugars made me weak.

During childhood, I developed scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis--problems that became the source of other health complications. I was forced to wear a back brace, a constricting contraption that spurred the onset of breathing problems and did nothing to align my spine. Allergic to nearly every food, my nutrition intake was poor, and I had adverse reactions to most medication.

During my Arangetram training, however, I began studying Eastern treatments and began integrating them with Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET). Highly attuned to the human body, I was able to analyze the biochemical processes of movement based on certain food and drink consumed, and target specific organs or muscles to strengthen them through acupressure or yoga. By practicing these methods, I successfully treated my physical hindrances and allergies, further strengthening myself with proper nutrition.

My experiences have motivated me to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medical practices through scientific validity. I hope to conduct research in either chemical and biomolecular engineering, or biophysics, in the hopes that I may dedicate my work to those individuals who, such as myself, do not react well to conventional treatment.

Undergraduate / 'I developed scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis' - Stanford- Intellectual Experience [12]

1983: Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique is founded. NAET states that allergies arise due to energy blockages and can be tested by applied kinesiology. According to the viscerosomatic relationship, every organ weakness corresponds to a specific muscle weakness, and every substance can stimulate a spindle cell response when contracted. Treatment involves performing acupressure along the spine as the patient holds the allergen, keeping contact with the substance for twenty minutes, then desensitizing the patient by staying away from the substance for twenty four hours. Allergy cured.

During childhood, I developed scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis. As I aged, my spinal problems became the source of other health complications. I was forced to wear the back brace, a constricting contraption that not only spurred the onset of breathing problems, but also did nothing to align my spine. My nutrition intake was poor, as I was allergic to nearly every food, and I had adverse reactions to nearly all medication.

I developed an interest for biology when I began training for my Arangetram. During my training, I developed patellar-femoral syndrome and was urged to quit by my physical therapist. I quit physical therapy. I began practicing acupressure and NAET on myself, successfully healing my conditions. I became attuned to the human body, researching how to strengthen muscles and enhance my stamina through yoga. I looked at dance geometrically and analyzed the biochemical processes of movement based on certain food and drink consumed.

It is because of my past experiences that I have shaped my intellect and formed my goals, deciding to dedicate myself to individuals who, such as myself, do not react well to conventional forms of treatment. Though many dismiss Eastern practices, as they believe it refutes the established laws of science, I hope to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medical practices through scientific validity. I hope to promote Easter diagnostic methods to garner a patient's response to certain therapies--including cancer remedies--beforehand, and if necessary, assess alternative forms of treatment. The benefits: save time; save a life.

Undergraduate / 'my identification badge' - Stanford Supp. [8]

What matters to you and why?

I pull my maroon polo over my head and bend down to the tie the laces on my spotless white shoes. Clipping my identification badge onto my pocket, I glance at myself in the mirror to make sure no strands of hair had escaped my ponytail. Once arriving at my destination, I step through the automatic doors of the Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center and take the elevators to the oncology unit. With a box of holiday cards, made by La Reina High School's Future Scientists Club, tucked under my arm, I approach the first door to my left. "Volunteer," I declared, knocking on the frame. I entered a dimly lit room and went to the patient's bedside, wishing him a happy holiday season and handing him a card. As I was about to leave, he stopped me and motioned me toward the armchair in the corner. I took a seat as he whispered, "I don't get many people to talk to." Though my conversation with him lasted no more than ten minutes, he had thanked me for brightening his day with my words of kindness. I routinely made my way around the floor and conversed with patients, watching their faces light up at the Christmas cards I had brought them. Working with these patients weekly, I have connected with them on a personal level, hearing stories of survival and stories of pain. It is these tales that motivate me further to pursuing cancer research, so that I may, one day, further touch the lives of cancer stricken individuals. It is these smiles that push me to help others-to see their joy that, as a result, brings me happiness.

Undergraduate / "Two heads are better than one" USC- Engineering leader Supp. [2]

"Two heads are better than one." As cliché as this phrase is, it does ring true and directly pertains to my desire in furthering my engineering education. As a result of my being driven to think creatively, ponder innovation, and cooperate with a team in high school robotics, I would like to continue as a robotics club member at USC. And just as USC is dedicated to fostering growth in interdisciplinary subjects, I would like to gain a foundation in the classroom in order to promote this program through outside research. Whether it is in a classroom or a lab, I enjoy keeping myself busy and am driven by intellectual stimulation. Through collaboration in both settings, I hope to gain a wide range of perspective in areas of study to broaden my insight, for the future of health sciences deals with integrating many disciplines. My core interests involve the biophysical nature of tumors--as it encompasses both engineering and biology--which I would like to explore through an internship, hopefully, leading others toward this path of exploration as well.