Undergraduate / 'Relaxing in dorm' - stanford - letter to your roommate [6]

Please critique this as harsh as you want!! Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate - and us - know you better.

Dear Roommate,

I'm absolutely thrilled to meet you! I guess I should get this out of the way first ï I'm kind of a slob. I like to throw my clothes everywhere and I don't remember the last time I made my bed. On that note, I'm always up for a challenge, and it keeping my side of the room clean is what it takes to win you over, your wish is my command.

I'm not big on talking about myself, but there are a few things you should know. I'm always on the move. My addiction is the outdoors and I love being active. Don't be surprised if I'm not in our room too often because I'm usually out running, people watching, or just hanging out at a coffee shop. It's not unusual for me to take off by myself for a few hours and go on long bike rides. My friends call it my raging streak of independence, but it's just how I am. Even though I love being busy, I won't say no to some down time and relaxing in our dorm to unwind from the day.

I think too much. Sometimes there are so many thoughts swirling around in my head that I can't help but rattle them off at a hundred miles per hour. Don't be alarmed if you're my victim when this happens, I'm also a great listener. You can come to me with any problem and I hope I can do the same to you.

I haven't quite figured myself out yet, but I hope you can help me on this wild journey. I have a thing for mood rings and making lists. I'm not afraid to make a fool of myself in public. I believe in good vibes and going after my dreams, and I play a mean game of poker. I'm not perfect and I'm not going to pretend that I am, but I have high hopes that we'll get along perfectly and help each other through this crazy thing called college.

Your Roommate,
Madison

Undergraduate / "left and right brain side' - stanford essay - intellectual vitality [5]

Hi! Here's my essay for the stanford question: Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development.

It makes sense in my head but I don't know if I really got the point across so any advice would be great! Thanks.

My mind is in a constant battle between the right side of my brain and the left. The artist in me comes out when I have a paint brush in hand. I fell in love with art at a young age, obsessed with design and self expression. On the other side, math has always fascinated me to no end. I have a knack for numbers and patterns, and I love the way everything seems to be interconnected. Along with my love for math and solving problems came my love for puzzles. I would spend weeks upon weeks putting puzzles together. I bought out every variety from the store. I stacked them. I timed myself and took them apart and put them together again. And then one day I did a puzzle upside down. I saw it as a challenge, I was fascinated by the shapes, the way everything fit together, the prospect of creating something from nothing. When I put that puzzle together, cardboard side up, it wasn't the same. It hit me that, as much as I loved the shapes of the pieces and putting them together, half the fun of puzzles was seeing the picture it created in the end. I went from thinking that art and math had nothing to do with each other to seeing that they had everything to do with each other. From then on I was obsessed. I saw the unique relationship between art and math everywhere ï in beautiful patterns and abstract paintings. I read about it and researched it, intrigued by things like the Egyptian pyramids, the golden ratio, and everything geometrical. Math is beautiful, art is beautiful, and I see infinite possibilities in the realm of art and math.

Undergraduate / 'smiling at strangers' - stanford essay - what matters to you and why? [5]

Hi! I just whipped this essay up, and any advice would be greatly appreciated! I didn't really know what direction to take with it and I'm afraid it's incredibly cheesy, so don't be afraid to be harsh.

I don't know if you do this, but in my family, once a year, my mom makes us gather up all our belongings and throw out everything we don't need. As a packrat, I dread that time of year more than anything. Throw out my recorder I learned to play in third grade? Never. I have an incredibly hard time throwing things out, and maybe that's due to my outlook on life. Everything matters to me. My family, my friends, and my teammates, of course. Clearly my education and my freedom matter to me. Like everyone, these things keep me going when I think I can't go any further. But my life is impacted by so much more than these things. I find hope in smiling at strangers and watching couples walk by holding hands. I live in a world where everything is inspiring: National Geographic documentaries, finishing an unbelievable workout, watching planes take off. I live my life by cheesy quotes and I like making up adventures in my mind. I live to go on runs where my only care in the world is the fresh air around me. Things that many people take for granted are the things that get me going ï laughing with old friends, belting out a song in the car, waking up early just to watch the sun paint the sky a perfect combination of orange and pink. Albert Einstein said, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." All these little miracles matter to me. Life matters to me.