I am applying to UChicago and had a little fun doing their short answer questions. But my answers are quite risky...so can someone please take a look?
Question 1. How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate of UChicago
Would it be too irrational a decision if I started University of Chicago's supplement simply because I was so fascinated by its essay topics? Even I have often asked myself this. However, my answer has always been a solid "no".
Almost every university requires additional essays. As I was rewinding the seventeen years I should supposedly have spent splendidly and trying to find a "significant experience" or a person who had influenced me "significantly," an essay prompt caught my attention: "Between living and dreaming there is a third thing. Guess it". The unexpected discovery came as a blessing, as it freed my mind from spinning backwards as I scavenged in the past and allowed my brain to move forward as I tried not only to solve the question, but also to come up with enough logical reasons to support my claim (my answer to the question was "thinking," since it is the use of abstract, intangible thoughts in solving tangible problems in reality).
That was exactly how I first developed my interest in U of Chicago. It pushed me to stretch my mind and to explore ideas that had previously been unknown to me. With barely any background knowledge, I sensed that U of Chicago was a locale that emphasizes the power of the mind, and such a place is exactly what I am looking for. I love finding alternate solutions to a math question. I am thrilled by every bizarre graph (especially those that resemble things such as flowers, spiders, explosions and the Great Wall of China) I discover on my calculator. I often debate with friends on questions for which a clear answer is not in sight. All these experiences have offered me glimpses of the vast potential of the mind. However, there never seems to be enough. As a result, I immediately became enamored with U of Chicago when I learned more about its innovative university spirit. This university not only values but also fosters the mind. It allows ideas not only to roam in freedom but also to transform into real action. I realize that this is the opportunity I have been longing for.
Question 2: Share with us a few of your favorite books, poems, authors, films, plays, pieces of music, musicians, performers, paintings, artists, blogs, magazines, or newspapers. Feel free to touch on one, some, or all of the categories listed, or add a category of your own.
I believe that only good soundtracks can define a good movie.
Usually, legendary movies do have legendary music. Anyone who is a loyal fan of the Harry Potter movie series can readily recall the mystical, enchanting opening of the movie's well-known music theme, "Hedwig's Theme". The dark but alluring celesta opening accurately captures the movie's "magic" theme and allows audience to see themselves floating towards the Hogwarts Castle that is looming in the dark. As a result, the story becomes embedded in the music, which in turns offers the audience a spiritual journey through the magic land.
My profound passion for film music was first sparked by a TV soundtrack called "I am the Doctor" from the BBC Doctor Who series. This theme was written by Murray Gold for the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) who belongs to a special species called the Time Lords. The Doctor can travel anywhere in time and space, an ability that allows him to take on many breathtaking and exhilarating adventures. At almost every exciting turning point in the plot, the familiar melody of "I am the Doctor" will sneak in. The piece begins with the quiet but intense melodies from the string section. The heavy use of repetition of individual notes amplifies the intensity, echoing with a similar situation in the actual plot development. The whimsical clarinets accurately reflect the Doctor's eccentric nature, whereas the brass shows the calm and intelligent sides of him. The dramatic crescendo and the participation of the choir offer extra dimensions to the piece, as the Doctor begins travelling through the boundless universe in order to seek answers. As I listen to the piece, I start immersing myself in the exciting journey. I hear the Doctor quickly ramble to himself, as he paces around in his time-machine, the TARDIS; I see him running around with his screwdriver, pointing at any foreign objects he does not recognize. As the music reaches the end, the Doctor's figure clearly outlines itself in my head, as he puts on a quirky smile and says, "I am the Doctor. Basically, run."
This is why I love film music and why I find it the most important part of a movie. The movie screen can only feed me the plot visually. Music, on the other hand, raises the story to a spiritual level, as it triggers my imagination and invites me to build my own interpretation of the storyline.
OK..i admit they are actually not THAT short.
