Undergraduate / It was an eye-widening experience ; Place where I perfectly content [2]

Im not very happy with this essay so i would appreciate any comments or suggestions on how to make it better :)
thanks

Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

Contentedness had always been a concept that evoked uncertainty and a sense of misunderstanding in my perception of its meaning. Never had I understood what could cause someone to posses this emotion, having lacked the outlook necessary to discern what it truly entailed to be content. There was always a negative connotation attached to the word in my mind, thinking that it would be a horrid feeling to be content. But, over time, I have come to understand my mistakes in the way i approached the subject.

I realized my misconceptions centered not around content, but rather its synonymous use of the term relaxation. My understanding of relaxation was not in line with the majority of people; beaches and palm tress seemed to have reverse effects on me as they did to others. The thought of lounging in a quiet serenity translates to calmness for most, but it was my equivalent to stress. It turns out, that even though peace and quiet are not my ideal circumstances, they are not what aligns with the definition of content. Rather it's what makes an individual fill with satisfaction, no matter what this manifestation looks like, that causes one to feel content.

My purest feelings of happiness and ease take place in a chaotic and fast-paced environment. Being surrounded by diversity and variety is what causes me excitement. It's the feeling that an unexpected situation can happen at any point. Uncertainty intoxicates me with the pleasure of feeling animate in my environment. Where I can look around and be flooded by the diversity of visual stimulus, causing my senses to heighten and awareness to grow. Where I can be a bystander, feeling as if I am witnessing the world change and evolve before my eyes. The concept is strange to consider; you cannot discern the impact every action around you will have in real time. But for me, there are just those times when i'm standing in the middle of a busy street, watching everyones lives progress second by second, and I have a moment of clarity. Long enough to be reminded just how vast everything is. These are the times when I can appreciate a crowded street corner or overflowing subway car. Observing every aspect of my surroundings, being comforted by the fact that nothing about what i'm seeing is something I could have predicted myself. Its unexpected atmospheres like these which truly consume me with satisfaction; they remind me to look at the world differently, if only for a moment, before engrossing myself back in my own reality.

It was an eye-widening experience for me the first time that I felt in this way, and it forever changed the ways which I interpret satisfaction and joy. I was reminded of the true sensation of happiness, and just how much it gets distorted in the consumeristic society we live in; always wanting more, never satisfied with what we have. In my daily life, I don't come across many situations where I am surrounded by strangers, and therefore have always been very aware when I did encounter a hectic environment. And when I do, I get the liberating feeling of being perfectly content; not desiring anything more than what is.

Undergraduate / I immerse myself in a community with a rich mix of individuals; NYU (250-500 words) [2]

1. Given your NYU campuses of interest - whether they are your primary and alternate home campuses of interest or where you would like to study away while you are a student - where, exactly, would you like to study at NYU - and why?

2. Whether you are undecided or you have a definitive plan of study in mind, what are your academic interests and how do you plan to explore them at NYU?

All students apply to universities in hopes of getting a high quality of education and, in the most simplified theory, to learn. The actual success of individuals depends on how they utilize the available resources and their compatibility with the environment. As a student, I personally wish to spend my college experience fulfilling my desire to learn in a manner that best suits me. In order to satisfy and extend my academic curiosities, it is necessary that I immerse myself in a community with a rich mix of individuals who contribute to both the intellectual and cultural aspects of their society. The main NYU campus in New York provides my desired community, as it is set in a large urban center, which creates fitting circumstances that reflect my self-motivated approach to education. Enabling me use this demographic to my advantage by exercising and proving my ability to stand out as an individual, while contributing to the collective. The city offers a unique set of resources, both in terms of education and career opportunities, which I would look forward to taking full advantage of. The international exposure at NYU is one of the greatest assets to the student population, as it allows for a more varied and multidimensional range of opinions and viewpoints to be considered among students. This is a highly important aspect of a learning environment, considering that I strive to surround myself with a diverse community of people, who share my eagerness to engage in discussion and consider numerous views, rather than choosing to passively learn by simply accumulating information.

Academically, I have always had a strong aptitude and passion for business, which is what lead to my interest in NYU, and more specifically the Leonard N. Stern School of Business. The mentality at Stern is equally inventive as it is collaborative, which is what I believe attributes to the success that its students achieve. The somewhat non-traditionalist aspects of a business school, such as Stern, are what would allow me to comprehensively explore the full range of my intellectual interests. The specific and unique courses offered at Stern would provide me with a deep and thorough education, and not merely a generic overview. Allowing me to explore a more extensive variety of interests, and discover new academic fascinations which I would not have otherwise had the opportunity to discover. The synergetic atmosphere at Stern is especially impressive as it is based in such a large and diverse location. The collaboration between such an expansive range of people in an extremely various environment is what motivates me to join this unified community. I hope to have the opportunity to indulge my academic curiosity in the programs at NYU, and look forward to contributing to this exceptional community.

any suggestions or comments would be appreciated :)
thanks

Undergraduate / emory university- create your own course [2]

Imagine you are a professor, charged with teaching a new course. Emory University offers over 1,000 courses in a wide range of academic subjects. You are free to choose whatever subject you want. What class would you create? What would you hope students would leave your class having learned? (250 word limit)

Sarcasm can be seen as a form of social cognition, requiring the mental perception of figuring out what others are thinking. As a professor, I would strive to teach how to detect and understand the linguistic principles behind the art of sarcasm. To correctly identify sarcasm, one requires the ability to extract the minute points of weakness in a conversation, along with possessing complete contextual understanding in the given scenario. This in itself is a cognitive challenge, demanding that one understand the meaning of a sarcastic reference in a larger social context. Comprehending the meaning behind specific uses of irony or satire, especially in literature, can best be understood by an individual who can distinguish the use of specific forms of sarcasm. Having the ability to wield sarcastic contexts can also aid students in further cultivating skills in identifying the use of mood and tone of voice. I would want this course to force students to look at how the capability to analyze verbal sarcasm creates a fuller understanding of social relations. Detecting sarcasm demands us to exercise a certain level of empathy, by requiring that we adopt the perspective of the speaker in order to assess the meaning behind a deliberately false statement. While most adults have the comprehension to use and pinpoint generic sarcastic statements, I hope to further the student's understanding past this superficial point. The final goal being that students use this knowledge to make connections between academic or social circumstances to what they have learned.

any comments or suggestions would be appreciated :)

Undergraduate / The volunteering programs offered at Emory University - programs/activities [4]

What are some of the programs and/or activities you would plan to get involved with on either campus, and what unique qualities will you bring to them?

Over the course of my high school years, the lack of involvement I had in my external community continues to cause me regret. This lead me to desire more opportunities to make an impact going forward, starting with my time spent at university. The volunteering programs offered at Emory would allow for me to contribute to the university's ongoing community engagements and have a direct impact on Atlanta neighborhoods. Having taken full-term leadership courses for the past six years I have gained a growing set of skills and passion for making a difference in the lives of others. These programs have taught me not only the value of partaking in volunteering initiatives, but also how necessary community outreach is for all students. Especially in terms of helping students think critically, not only in school, but also about the issues and injustices seen within our society. Having been focused so heavily on leadership, I have used this knowledge to help me determine the importance of young people's willing to assume an active role in bettering their community and choosing to be responsible citizens. My experience in leadership is an attribute that can benefit the community of students at Emory, and lead to further success in seeing our vision of a better community turn to action. I commend Emory for offering such extensive volunteer opportunities, and am eager to join and grow the community of students and faculty involved with these program in the future.

any suggestions or comments would be much appreciated :))

Undergraduate / Why is BU a good fit? community with a rich mix of individuals [5]

All students apply to universities in hopes of getting a high quality of education and, in the most simplified theory, to learn. The actual success of each individual depends not on the prestige held by the university which they attend, but rather on how they utilize the available resources and their compatibility with the environment. As a student, I personally wish to spend my college experience fulfilling my desire to learn in a manner that best suits me. In order to satisfy and extend my academic curiosities, it is necessary that I immerse myself in a community with a rich mix of individuals who contribute to both the intellectual and cultural aspects of society. I place a great deal of importance on the approaches implemented towards learning, which lead me in search of a learning environment that encourages students to think and question critically, even if it means having to sometimes turn rules into theories. I strive to surround myself with others who share my eagerness to analyze and engage in discussions, rather than choosing to passively learn by simply accumulating information. BU, being a large and diverse community, provides fitting circumstances that reflect my self-motivated approach to education. Allowing me use this demographic to my advantage by exercising and proving my ability to stand out as an individual. I believe that Boston University has the learning atmosphere for which I am searching for, and hope to have the opportunity to bring to it as much as it offers.

i would appreciate any comments or suggestions :)