Undergraduate / She roared facts, defending her side; Stanford Supplement Intellectual Vitality! [3]

Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development.

The alarm clock blared. My eyes slightly opened, seeing nothing but the darkness that was soon followed by the red digits forming numbers that indicated it was too early to get up. I wasn't a part of the team, why had I even signed up to volunteer at this debate tournament? Of course, Mr. Schletzbaum made me, and so I dragged myself out of bed and to Milpitas High School.

Work at the tab room slowed down at around three o'clock in the afternoon and I was allowed to watch one of the rounds, given that I reported back immediately after it was done. I followed my sophomore friend and her partner to their classroom, judging their crispy suits and heels.

I sat in bewilderment as I watched my first debate round. The forty minute round passed in a blur, but the fierceness stuck to me."Drone warfare will keep our soldiers safe from ground battle," squeaked the opposition. "Despite the perceived effectiveness of drones at eliminating recognized militants, extremism has actually increased exponentially in reaction to the strikes. We believe drone warfare is immoral and dangerous therefore we negate the resolution," thundered my tiny friend. The same girl who once looked so frail in my physics classroom turned into a lion as she roared facts, defending her side of the debate.

That cold Saturday was essential to my intellectual development because with my friend's debate round I realized the power of knowledge. I found beauty in the dancing arguments, effortlessly making their way down the room. I fell in love with the epic duel. In this battle, neither size nor strength matter. The only weapon is knowledge, fired as facts and statistics in hopes of instilling fear in the opponents. Suddenly, I realized that knowledge only intimidates the ignorant, the weak of intellect, and in that invigorating moment I vowed to never allow myself to be afraid

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Undergraduate / Grandparents' house shaped my wild side; Stanford Supp_ What matters to me and why? [3]

What matters to you, and why?
I wake up to the smell of trees and birds chirping near my grandfather's house, early enough to see the sunrise. I get dressed quickly and run downstairs, ready for today's adventure. My grandparents tell me to sit and make me eat breakfast before going out. My grandmother gives me some bread and cake while complaining she did not get enough sleep, and I drink chocolate milk since my mom is not around to tell me to have something healthier. I run across the lawn, hop the fence to the neighbor's house and furiously knock on his door, lacking any sense of privacy, which I suppose is to be expected of a nine-year-old on a mission. Today is the day my friend and I are going to explore the old abandoned house with the mysterious broken windows. We suspect it is haunted by some supernatural entity, and it is our job to investigate.

Spending my weekends at my grandparents' house shaped my wild side. I did not learn how to play with dolls or use an 'Easy-Bake Oven' like all my other girl friends. Instead, I learned how to ride a bike that had wheels almost as big as the span of my arms. I learned how to dig holes in the ground and how to bark back at the dogs on the street. I learned how to build new things by watching my grandfather work in his wood shop. learned to allow my boyish and playful side to come out. I learned the beauty of innocence and the thrill of adventure.

To me, my passion and wonder for the world and everything around me are what matter to me. The old bike that symbolizes my adventures and most treasured memories of my early ages matters to me. The house that sheltered my wondrous and innocent elementary-school aged mind matters to me. All these little details and memories that give shape to my childhood matter to me because they crafted the person I am now. Today, after nearly six years, the weekends are over, the bike is rusty, and the house is sold, but the innocent dreamer child still lives in me, and she will remain here eternally.

Undergraduate / I'm just a little on the messy side; Stanford Roommate [4]

Stanford is such a dream to me. If you could give me some blatant feedback, I would greatly appreciate it.

Here's the prompt:

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 Roomie,
You're probably looking at me right now and thinking, "This girl is adopted. There's no way she's Brazilian, she's got blonde hair, blue eyes, and looks nothing like her parents" Yes, I am Brazilian, but let me entertain you with the same story I have been using as a response to similar questions since I have arrived in the United States. Much like America, Brazil is composed of immigrants from all over the world. My mother's and father's families came from Italy to work at the coffee and sugar plantations. Along the years, native Brazilian blood has entered our lineage but somehow, in some mischievous way, the 'white' recessive genes have been unknowingly passed down, and now, have once again met in my fair complexion and blonde hair. But cunning looks aside, my heart is Latino, and you're about to experience a healthy dose of Brazilian. You're going to wake up to bread and butter, and maybe a little Samba on the radio to lighten the mood. And with this, you will find the Latino heart and perspective. Most importantly, know that you can talk to me about anything, whether it's your experience feeding the hungry in Africa or your relationship problems, I'm ready to listen.

Please forgive the fact that I'm just a little on the messy side. I keep things clean, but my mind is all over the place, so more likely than not, my desk will be cluttered with papers and magazines, my computer and a cup of tea. If you can live with that, we will get along just fine. As far as house-duties go, I don't have a problem cleaning, but I'm a bit of a disaster in the kitchen, so hopefully we can work something out. And if we ever do get in a fight, relax, I don't hold a grudge, at least not for more than half an hour.

See you later,
Ana Peccin
PS: Hopefully you enjoy rock music because I will probably drag you to a concert sooner or later.