I'm Going to College? - The Essays

The Class of 2023

Dear Colleges,

Villanova has the same positive energy as a chocolate chip cookie. This metaphor of cookies and happiness extends to both the community and academics. As a part of the community, I would be encouraged to continue my current volunteer work with Best Buddies. I would have a community that values compassion and truth which is very important for me as a as an aspiring student and future business leader. In the school of business, I would be supported by peer and faculty mentors who would guide me to my ideal curriculum. Villanova acknowledges the gender divide in business and offers a class, Women in the Economy, which is important to me as a future female executive. I would be supported academically and spiritually. I could grow as a person and I in turn would be able to add to the community with service and the knowledge I gained.

BU excites me for a multitude of reasons: i) a broad-ranging curriculum with an emphasis interdisciplinary learning, ii) a diverse and talented study body that is perfectly medium in size, iii) ideal location within a vibrant, international city, and iv) an overriding commitment to ethics, diversity and inclusion. I am passionate about poetry and writing, but also have great interest in STEM, and may ultimately choose to major or minor in the newly formed undergraduate Data Science program. Data Science is among the fastest growing industries in the world, and BU’s new commitment to this field of study (and large investment in the new CDC building) is extremely exciting and indicative of the University’s desire to adapt and lead. In addition to specific fields of study, The Hub provides the opportunity to explore the full myriad of my academic interests, while also exposing me to new areas of study that I have perhaps not yet contemplated. BU is of course a research institution, but it also functions as a liberal arts school, offers a full complement of top-tier graduate programs, and features a variety international study opportunities (which I would fully plan to take advantage of).

As I weighed the pros and cons of the offer before me, thinking about what he said, I reflected on the other times when I agreed to things I wasn’t sure of or that had come to my attention without notice. When I was twelve, I ended up in Carlisle as one of the studio’s youngest dancers for a summer intensive. Three summers ago, against everyone’s urging that dancers avoid anything physically straining (to keep our slender figures), I backpacked my way through Green River, Utah. Last June, at a ballet camp in Miami, I met Zooey, a girl who walked pageants and cosplayed online. Looking back, some of these experiences turned out to be the most exhilarating: seeing Amish up-close in their buggies en route to CVS, crossing icy rivers in the wild with other campers, meeting one of the baddest girls alive. Accepting this available page role for the L.A. Ballet School’s Christmas show, I reasoned, wouldn’t be the first time I’d be taking a leap of faith. I pulled up Ms. Colleen’s email and replied, “I’m there!”

I believe that no truth exists. Every person has their own truth which is untrue to a different person. As humans, we can have the same eyes yet see different shades of green. That green would then be untrue to one of us. For myself, the truest thing I know is that I have to cut my nails. For a very long time, I had a horrible habit of picking at my nail beds when nervous. I would scrape off my skin and my fingers were bloody and raw. I tried fidgeting and creating new habits to stop this as it was getting to the point where my nails were not growing properly, but this changed because of my 2020 new years resolution. I forced myself to stop and held to my resolution and suddenly, I had longish nails. It was strange, but I was proud of breaking a habit and accomplishing something. I looked at my long nails and saw trophies. This brings me to the problem which I know is the absolute truth: I must cut them. They are a centimeter long. I can barely type and I need to be able to reach into my backpack without the fear of chipping a nail. This brings me to my second truth: I don’t let things go. Some people may disagree with me on this trait as truth is not absolute, but it is a character flaw. I can’t cut my own nails, nor can I purge my candle collection, or stop thinking about what could have been. I get so lost in the past that I forget I have healthy nails and that I can move on. I don’t need long nails to not be ashamed anymore. That is my truth, though vain and simple.

The Dublin, Ireland STEM Program is of particular interest to me because of X, Y and Z. BU seeks well-rounded students and promotes deeper learning, but also prioritizes ethics, social conscience, and positively impacting society. These principles are consistent with my values, and I want to be part of a BU community that strives for these standards.

It also wouldn't be my last.

For your consideration </3

When faced with choices throughout my life, in dance or any other venture, there were times I was scared and had no clue how to do something. But as I determined the best course to take, taking to heart what my dad said and following my instincts—along the way, I figured it out. Things didn’t always pan out; even then, I discovered, invariably, how I gained things in the process: valuable lessons, newfound passions, best friends, and unforgettable memories.

As someone with epilepsy, I can’t stay up too late or eat too much junk food or be too stressed or feel too ‘alive.’ It started when I was six; I fell out of bed while seizing. At first, I mystified doctors, but I was soon identified as the newest child with an extra special brain. Being epileptic means losing control of my body. I can’t exercise for long periods of time without my left leg giving out, nor can I be medicated without feeling fatigued and dizzy, but I still thrive. I regain control by doing small things. For the past two years, every Tuesday, I buy a baguette from my favorite bakery, and on Fridays, I buy challah bread to share with friends. These small comforts provide consistency to otherwise unpredictable days. My epilepsy has taught me to treasure what I can, and I have turned this into a source of strength. I can stay calm when everything is crumbling, provide for myself, and lead others, but I’m still scared of falling off my bed while sleeping. Having experienced all of these struggles and setbacks, I’ve been able to conquer challenges in other aspects of my life. I may never be able to fully overcome these medical issues, but I will always have bread and art. Because you’re reading my common application, you’re now one of the few people who know that I’m an artist. I pick up mediums like pennies and tell no one. Art is the last undiscovered part of my world. I keep this a secret so no one can judge me or control my creations. I am free to be whoever I want to be. My disability means that I could seize on any given night, but art is my solid, sacred place. Art is one way that I’ve been able to take back some control when everything else is chaos. This has helped me cope with stress, failure, and sadness. When the world feels like it's falling apart, I paint watercolor portraits. Without outside influences, I can work alone, create art, and process immense stress.

As a poet frolicking in a metaphorical field and a person passionate about data science, BU is perfect for me. I would be able to take a class like Reading in the (Post) Apocalypse to learn how the apocalypse was re-invented with modern dystopian literature. I could potentially collaborate with poet laureate Robert Pinsky and his graduate students in the Creative Writing MFA Program. I could also learn from and work with an amazing scientist like Dr. Margrit Betke and research how data and media collide in the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Media research group. BU would allow me to explore a multitude of academic fields, enabling me to achieve my goal of having a positive impact on our world.

And this is how I found myself hunched over in a scratchy costume, flailing my arms about menacingly on one of the world’s most preeminent stages Christmas Eve. I had arrived for the page role rehearsal at 12 sharp when they threw me into a rat costume with three minutes to learn the part. Not what I’d expected. But when the lights beamed to our corner of the stage, shone brightly over our pack–me being me–I slipped into character, exaggerated my gestures and hissed emphatically as I prepared to take a giant jump forward.

As detailed in the Strategic Plan, BU offers a sense of community despite being a large school in a major city. This is evidenced by its numerous clubs, activities, and involved students. I could join the Literary Society and share my writing, and participate in the Undergraduate Women in Science and Engineering club for support with the rigorous data science curriculum. I would continue my service commitment to Best Buddies by joining BU’s established organization on campus. One of the reasons I love BU is because of its students' passion and activism. I want a community composed of people with different backgrounds and experiences, and I don’t want to feel lost in the crowd. Because of this vibrant culture, I know I will be both supported and academically challenged.

BU excites me for a multitude of reasons: i) a broad-ranging curriculum with an emphasis interdisciplinary learning, ii) a diverse and talented study body that is perfectly medium in size, iii) an ideal location within a vibrant, international city, and iv) an overriding commitment to ethics, diversity and inclusion. I am passionate about poetry and writing, but also have great interest in STEM, and may ultimately choose to major or minor in the newly formed undergraduate Data Science program. Data Science is among the fastest growing industries in the world, and BU’s new commitment to this field of study (and large investment in the new CDC building) is extremely exciting and indicative of the University’s desire to adapt and lead. In addition to specific fields of study, The Hub provides the opportunity to explore the full myriad of my academic interests, while also exposing me to new areas of study that I have perhaps not yet contemplated. BU is of course a research institution, but it also functions as a liberal arts school, offers a full complement of toptier graduate programs, and features a variety international study opportunities (which I would fully plan to take advantage of). The Dublin, Ireland STEM Program is of particular interest to me because of X, Y and Z. BU seeks well-rounded students and promotes deeper learning, but also prioritizes ethics, social conscience, and positively impacting society.

What happened? Why do we now love wandering? Cowboys happened. For the past century, the American cowboy has been shamelessly romanticized and glamorized in countless books, television shows and movies. They wander across the Great Plains drifting from place to place with only a gun and a horse, fighting for justice, taming the frontier, and heroically saving women and children along the way. They are portrayed as hard-working, patriotic (many were former soldiers), and willing to explore ‘new’ land (manifest destiny), or steal it depending on one’s perspective. Thanks to Hollywood, cowboys are often tall, handsome, sexy and mysterious. Clint Eastwood always gets the girl, and never seems to get shot. Cowboys are big business - they help sell cigarettes (the Marlboro Man) and fashion (Chaps by Ralph Lauren). They are also presidential. Both and Lyndon B. Johnson often wore cowboy hats and boots in public appearances.

My ballet studio had just received news of dancers coming down with COVID. With several girls forced to withdraw on the eve of the premiere at Dolby Theater, they scrambled to find replacements. “Would Ava like to come in today and learn all this? Rehearsal at 12:30.”

Just to think–that all it took to be here was by saying, yes.