Undergraduate / Interest in Math and Science - California Institute of Technology [8]

Topic: Interest in math, science, or engineering manifests itself in many forms. Caltech professor and Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman (1918-1988) explained, "I'd make a motor, I'd make a gadget that would go off when something passed a photocell, I'd play around with selenium"; he was exploring his interest in science, as he put it, by "piddling around all the time." In a page, more or less, tell the Admissions Committee how you express your interest, curiosity, or excitement about math, science or engineering.

"I have something to tell you, Sam. I love you." I said, unhesitant. By admitting my feelings, I promised him to be loyal, dedicated, and compassionate unconditionally. I never regretted feeling affection towards him. He never gave me a reason to. I still remember the first time I met him in school. Since then, he has been always there in my life.

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Undergraduate / "no other choice but to become Saudi" - Describe the world you come from [15]

Describe the world you come from, for example your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?

I had no other choice but to be born a female in Saudi. That was God's will, and I will not change what God has decided. I lived most of the seventeen years of my life opposing whatever I find not up to my satisfaction level here in Saudi Arabia. I have lived here all my life, but as they have always said: "The grass is always greener the other side." I did not try to "make our grass greener." Instead, I focused so hard on finding ways to get to the other side where the grass is greener.

Last year I had to write about "How can I turn my passion and enthusiasm into actions that will make Saudi Arabia a country that I'm proud of in the next ten years?" It was a writing competition that I was part of. What I did not know was that it was not simply a contest, it was more. Each time I typed a sentence and reread it, I began to believe it. I did not expect that my power of persuasion could turn against me, but it turned out to be for the best. It made me realize that my attitude wasn't right. I should not keep looking at the positive points of "the other side," but should look at the positive point of my country that I belong to, and the negative points that are vulnerable to the power of human minds and the creativity of Saudi's youth. I know that I can leave this area, where I can't find the grass green enough for me, yet it would only mean that I am weak as I am escaping my troubles.

We do not want Saudi women to feel less than Saudi men. The thing here is that many women here in Saudi see that men are offered more and easier opportunities than women. I have been in this phase myself. Maybe it is because the country is recently becoming open-minded by starting to provide more chances for women. I can see that. I also see many determined motivated open-minded women that outnumber the chances provided. They are willing to break the barrier of old customs and go for every voluntary, educational, or career opportunity they hear of, competing against each other to get them.

Utilizing chances our school provides is the best policy. As a Saudi girl, I do not have that many opportunities to shine and prove myself. Dhahran Ahliyya School (DAS) was different, it compensated for the opportunities our society has not provided enough. The clubs and activities no other schools offered were accessible in ours. DAS even sent girls outside the kingdom for various purposes, including international competitions and conferences. DAS is the one school that includes traveling as an educational experience among all Saudi public and private schools.

Although school has indeed provided me with everything I might ask for, it opened my eyes to witness reality; women should never wait for opportunities to make use of. Instead, we should create them. After observing how DAS overcame challenges to introduce more options for girls with the Saudi Ministry of Education, I realized that. I felt responsible of conducting such change ever since I saw that it was possible. I am able to generate opportunities for me and others my own way by establishing clubs about areas that interests me. Not only did the situation in my country shaped who I am, but it also motivated me to team up with whoever thinks similarly to me and overcome it just like our school did. I believe that I can make the grass greener in the lands of Saudi Arabia. Just wait and see.