The quality of Rice's academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What perspective do you feel that you will contribute to life at Rice?
During the holiday season last year, I got a bad case of the volunteering itch. It was close to Christmas, and those "warm and fuzzy" feelings had infiltrated my system, leaving me wanting to engage in yuletide camaraderie and spread my child-like cheer through my love of music. Luckily there was a place nearby where I could satisfy my hunger for volunteering: Graceworks, a residential home for people with developmental disabilities. I decided to find out if they had any music-related volunteer opportunities. When I went there, I asked one of the workers, Mrs. Hill, if I could play Christmas songs on the piano for the residents. She was immediately enthused about this idea and scheduled a date near Christmas when I could come in; it was the day they would be having their annual Christmas party. She then showed me around and introduced me to all the people who lived at the home. All of the people had some type of disability; some had multiple. One man had OCD and was afraid of doctors; when I met him, he walked circles around me while carefully looking me up and down. Mrs. Hill told me he was making sure I wasn't somebody who would stick needles in him. I also met an elderly lady who refused to go anywhere without her baby doll; curiously, she also had an extremely hoarse voice that resembled a man's. Mrs. Hill told me that her voice often scared people; whenever she went out and tried to start a conversation with somebody, they would get frightened and distance themselves. I met a few more residents, but the time soon came for me to leave.
As I said goodbye to everybody I'd met that day, I couldn't help but feel a little depressed. I'd never met so many people with disabilities in my life, and the experience was both eye-opening and sad. While most of the residents appeared happy at the home, they also seemed extremely isolated, both psychologically and physically. They were all limited by disabilities they had no control over, and most of them rarely got to see their family and friends. Despite all the differences that stood between us, I felt a strong desire to connect with these people. I felt that they deserved a happy holiday just like everybody else, and I longed to make their day a little bit brighter. At the holiday party, I had a chance to do that.
The next week arrived quickly and I was back at Graceworks, this time setting up my keyboard and music. Once I had set everything up, I placed my fingers on the keys and started playing my first song, 'The Christmas Song'. Initially, many of the residents didn't seem to notice; they were all sitting around the room eating dinner. But as I continued to play, a few adults moved themselves in their wheelchairs to where I was playing. They were quiet at first, simply watching and listening, but after a few songs they started to make strange noises. It started when one of the ladies, Lucy, started grumbling something that sounded like, "Mmmm, Mmm". Then someone else started grunting. At first, I didn't know what it meant, but I kept on playing. My next song was a bouncy, jazzy version of 'Feliz Navidad'. The residents really responded to this one, as I heard their voices getting louder. After I'd hit the last note of the song, Lucy cleared her throat and said, "I liked that one." When I heard those words it finally hit me-the people were making noises because they were happy. The grunts and groans were their unique ways of saying that they liked the music. Lucy's words encouraged me in that moment, because I realized I was beginning to truly connect with the people at the home.
Thirty minutes later, I had finished playing all my songs and it was time for me to go home. The people who had come up close to watch wheeled themselves back to the dining room and started making cookies. The people who had been eating dinner before slowly finished up. Although nothing had really changed, inside me I felt uplifted. Seeing the people respond to the music made me realize that I could make a difference, even if it was through something as simple as playing Christmas songs. Although I did not have the disabilities that the residents at Graceworks had and would never be able to fully understand what they had to go through, I was able to connect with them in deeper way than I had thought possible.
Every day, I have come to realize, brings with it many opportunities for me to help others and potentially make someone's day a little brighter. As I move forward in life and prepare for the next step-college-I want to continue to take advantage of as many of these opportunities as I can. At Rice University, I would bring the perspective of somebody who seeks to truly understand others as best she can; somebody who realizes the importance of love and empathy in the 21st century, and somebody who is committed to using music and service as ways to make the world just a little bit sweeter.
I know it's long, but it too long? This is my first draft, feel free to be critical b/c I appreciate any help. Thx!!
