I have always loved talking and learning about the universe and space, and wanted to be an astronaut for most of my life. When I was a freshman, I begged my school to let me take advanced physics in addition to chemistry, which was required for all sophomores. My science teacher shook his head in amused incredulity when I made my request, and warned me that I would change my mind, but reassured me that if it was too much ...

I was driving my friend Kayla on a rainy day last week. She plugged my phone in to the USB cord, double clicked the home button, and pushed play. “There’s the respect that makes calamity of so long life,” Sir Lawrence Olivier whispered. Kayla rolled her eyes at me and plugged her own phone in, replacing those exquisite lines from Hamlet with Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” (I grudgingly began to sing along with her). I am the kid who...

We always ran together because the coach assigned partners based on individual times. We were friendly but not friends; I don’t think I had ever really had a conversation with her. After practice one day, I expressed my hesitation about running the 1600 at our next meet—I had never raced more than 400 meters, and I worried that I would come in last. She made some statement about how I shouldn’t worry, because things would happen as they were...

Moshe is driving in Jerusalem. He’s late for a meeting and he’s looking for a parking place, and can’t find one. In desperation, he turns towards heaven and says: “God, if you find me a parking place, I promise that I’ll eat only Kosher, respect Shabbas and all the holidays…” Miraculously, a place opens up just in front of him. He turns his face up to heaven and says, “Don’t bother, God, I’ve just...

I visited Penn and talked to some professors there. I love creative writing, so I met with Jamie-Lee Josselyn at the Kelly Writers House. She told me a bit about creative writing at Penn and I kept in touch with her and sent her some of my poems and short stories. The Kelly Writers House often advocates for students they...