Essay Question: Write an autobiographical essay that tells us something about
yourself that you feel is significant to your application and our
perception of you.
Most people fear change, but I thrive on it. In my seventeen years of life I've lived in four different towns and attended eight different schools. It is this continuous movement to new environments that has continuously inspired me.
When I was little I used to resent moving. I was jealous of the girls that had best friends whom they had known from their pre-school days, while I was forced to start fresh each time we moved. But that feeling was short lived, and rapidly gave way to a love for exploring new places and meeting new people. Every new place I've lived in has become a new and exciting chapter in my life with it's own unique impact. Each new city, school, and home has helped shape who I am.
The first place I can remember living in was Clifton; a relatively small town located in the northern half of New Jersey, a 20-mile stone's throw from New York. It was here that I learned to walk, talk, spell, write, and ride a bike. It was also the place where I learned that I was "different". One day during recess a girl was giving out stickers to the class, and when it was my turn, she didn't give me one. I asked her why and she said it was because I had brown skin and no one else did. That was the day that I became aware of race, and that not all people are accepting of things or people that look different. I was a little hurt that I didn't get a sticker, but I decided that I liked being one of a kind. Being different had its advantages. It gave me the strength to think differently; something I have consciously nurtured within myself. Being different has now allowed me to appreciate other "different" points of views with a lot more sympathy and admiration.
Soon we relocated to the upper-east side of Manhattan, New York. It was in Manhattan, on a Sunday afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum, that I discovered my love for art. I remember sitting on the floor of the huge Egyptian exhibit overlooking the glass-framed central garden lawns, drawing the patterns of a painting in my little pink notebook. That was the day I started drawing, and I've never stopped doing it since. New York City nurtured the artist in me by providing me with endless amounts of exhibits to attend, and inspiration at every turn. It was there that I discovered the passion that would take over my life.
A few years later my family and I found ourselves back in New Jersey, but this time in a town called Edison. I grew and matured the most in the years that we lived there, transforming from a painfully awkward fifth grader to a somewhat graceful freshman in high school. During this time I learned a lot about myself. I discovered that I can't keep a secret for more than an hour, that I work best under pressure, and that I love being organized. This move also taught me about my culture, and brought about an awareness of my Indian heritage. The majority of the population of Edison is Indian, and I'd never got the chance to really learn what my culture is all about until I was smack dab in the middle of it. There, homecoming isn't a big deal "garba" is, and the busiest places in town were the bazaars not the malls. Edison gave me a taste of the world my parents came from through the food, events, and environment, and has definitely led me to understand them better, as well as myself.
Our most recent move has been to Ellicott City, Maryland, the town that I am writing this essay from. The past two and a half years here have been a whirlwind of school, art, new friends, and family. It was here that I got my first job and learned to drive. It is also here that I began refining my skills as an artist. With Washington D.C. and Baltimore right around the corner, I have exposed myself to so much new artwork, and through school classes and portfolio preparation I've explored so many new mediums. I have also discovered how to discover. To most people my age Ellicott City is a boring suburb with nothing to offer, but in reality, you just need to explore. Recently I found a beautiful children's cemetery from the 1800's tucked away in a small neighborhood. I have spent hours in the grounds, surrounded by carefully planted flowers, taking pictures, sketching, but mostly just sitting and imagining each little life that lay there. Every place has it's charms, whether they be small or big, and each town, whether a suburb in Maryland or the urban landscape of New York, has inspired me in some way.
Now I am about to face the biggest change yet: starting out on my own. Sometimes it seems daunting, but I know I will thrive in a new environment, with new people, and new experiences, that will lead to new thoughts and fresh ideas. I am excited to begin my life, and write the next chapter of my story.
yourself that you feel is significant to your application and our
perception of you.
Most people fear change, but I thrive on it. In my seventeen years of life I've lived in four different towns and attended eight different schools. It is this continuous movement to new environments that has continuously inspired me.
When I was little I used to resent moving. I was jealous of the girls that had best friends whom they had known from their pre-school days, while I was forced to start fresh each time we moved. But that feeling was short lived, and rapidly gave way to a love for exploring new places and meeting new people. Every new place I've lived in has become a new and exciting chapter in my life with it's own unique impact. Each new city, school, and home has helped shape who I am.
The first place I can remember living in was Clifton; a relatively small town located in the northern half of New Jersey, a 20-mile stone's throw from New York. It was here that I learned to walk, talk, spell, write, and ride a bike. It was also the place where I learned that I was "different". One day during recess a girl was giving out stickers to the class, and when it was my turn, she didn't give me one. I asked her why and she said it was because I had brown skin and no one else did. That was the day that I became aware of race, and that not all people are accepting of things or people that look different. I was a little hurt that I didn't get a sticker, but I decided that I liked being one of a kind. Being different had its advantages. It gave me the strength to think differently; something I have consciously nurtured within myself. Being different has now allowed me to appreciate other "different" points of views with a lot more sympathy and admiration.
Soon we relocated to the upper-east side of Manhattan, New York. It was in Manhattan, on a Sunday afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum, that I discovered my love for art. I remember sitting on the floor of the huge Egyptian exhibit overlooking the glass-framed central garden lawns, drawing the patterns of a painting in my little pink notebook. That was the day I started drawing, and I've never stopped doing it since. New York City nurtured the artist in me by providing me with endless amounts of exhibits to attend, and inspiration at every turn. It was there that I discovered the passion that would take over my life.
A few years later my family and I found ourselves back in New Jersey, but this time in a town called Edison. I grew and matured the most in the years that we lived there, transforming from a painfully awkward fifth grader to a somewhat graceful freshman in high school. During this time I learned a lot about myself. I discovered that I can't keep a secret for more than an hour, that I work best under pressure, and that I love being organized. This move also taught me about my culture, and brought about an awareness of my Indian heritage. The majority of the population of Edison is Indian, and I'd never got the chance to really learn what my culture is all about until I was smack dab in the middle of it. There, homecoming isn't a big deal "garba" is, and the busiest places in town were the bazaars not the malls. Edison gave me a taste of the world my parents came from through the food, events, and environment, and has definitely led me to understand them better, as well as myself.
Our most recent move has been to Ellicott City, Maryland, the town that I am writing this essay from. The past two and a half years here have been a whirlwind of school, art, new friends, and family. It was here that I got my first job and learned to drive. It is also here that I began refining my skills as an artist. With Washington D.C. and Baltimore right around the corner, I have exposed myself to so much new artwork, and through school classes and portfolio preparation I've explored so many new mediums. I have also discovered how to discover. To most people my age Ellicott City is a boring suburb with nothing to offer, but in reality, you just need to explore. Recently I found a beautiful children's cemetery from the 1800's tucked away in a small neighborhood. I have spent hours in the grounds, surrounded by carefully planted flowers, taking pictures, sketching, but mostly just sitting and imagining each little life that lay there. Every place has it's charms, whether they be small or big, and each town, whether a suburb in Maryland or the urban landscape of New York, has inspired me in some way.
Now I am about to face the biggest change yet: starting out on my own. Sometimes it seems daunting, but I know I will thrive in a new environment, with new people, and new experiences, that will lead to new thoughts and fresh ideas. I am excited to begin my life, and write the next chapter of my story.