This is my first attempt for the UChicago prompt: 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 to Chicago.
During my childhood, I devotedly perused the seven volumes of Harry Potter. As I immersed myself in the black print that disclosed the adventures of the wizard boy, I imagined myself walking down the warm halls of Hogwarts and dining in the Great Hall with other gifted minds. Instead of lying tucked under my covers, accompanied by a single light, I cast spells and followed the three friends on their antics. I dreamed of attending a school that was not just an educational institution for broadening the knowledge of its students, but also a home that united the students as a family. When I stepped onto the UChicago campus for a visit, I knew I had found my Hogwarts.
The gothic architecture cast a spell on me as I followed other prospective students around campus. I soon discovered that the buildings were not the only aspects of the campus that mirrored Hogwart's structure. The idea of a "pre-packaged" group of friends, just like the Houses in the institution from the magical world, made me feel welcome. As I befriended several students, I discovered how much I enjoyed their queer, witty personalities, which stood out from students I had encountered during my quest at other colleges. Their stories about the "Math Pirate" and disagreements about the myth that "fun comes to die" at UChicago cast a greater spell on me. The exemplary Department of Anthropology and the infamous Core attracted me to the school even more. I cannot break out of this spell; I know that my place next year is among the driven, passionate students of Hogwarts' replica in the Muggle world.
During my childhood, I devotedly perused the seven volumes of Harry Potter. As I immersed myself in the black print that disclosed the adventures of the wizard boy, I imagined myself walking down the warm halls of Hogwarts and dining in the Great Hall with other gifted minds. Instead of lying tucked under my covers, accompanied by a single light, I cast spells and followed the three friends on their antics. I dreamed of attending a school that was not just an educational institution for broadening the knowledge of its students, but also a home that united the students as a family. When I stepped onto the UChicago campus for a visit, I knew I had found my Hogwarts.
The gothic architecture cast a spell on me as I followed other prospective students around campus. I soon discovered that the buildings were not the only aspects of the campus that mirrored Hogwart's structure. The idea of a "pre-packaged" group of friends, just like the Houses in the institution from the magical world, made me feel welcome. As I befriended several students, I discovered how much I enjoyed their queer, witty personalities, which stood out from students I had encountered during my quest at other colleges. Their stories about the "Math Pirate" and disagreements about the myth that "fun comes to die" at UChicago cast a greater spell on me. The exemplary Department of Anthropology and the infamous Core attracted me to the school even more. I cannot break out of this spell; I know that my place next year is among the driven, passionate students of Hogwarts' replica in the Muggle world.