If you Google "how athletes feel after winning" you will find a series of adjectives: overwhelmed, incredulous, numbed, happy. When I was in eighth grade, I understood what they meant. After placing first in the Brazilian Informatics Olympiads (OBI), I felt the same. Inspired by this result, I decided to explore other technology-related areas, this time searching something more hands-on. I ended up developing a great passion: Robotics. I felt my enthusiasm evolve, just like a father seeing his baby...

The problems faced by our society today cannot be explained by a single subject, whereas they must be understood through various angles and perspectives. With that as motivation, I believe that the combination of subjects is necessary to better explain them. While I have been studying in a special class focusing on STEM subjects and finding exact solutions for every problem, I believe that my interest in this economics is directly related to this same wish of understanding and solving...

When my mother told me how she felt about me coming to the world, I didn't really understand the concept of maternity. The tears of joy, cheesy sayings and countless nights of no sleep seemed so distant to me, but I never thought they would soon come. At the end of my eighth grade, I became a father, but not the regular type. I’ve had just given birth to a robot.The first time I saw him moving was...

‘’Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety’’. Being a libertarian myself, I couldn’t agree more with Benjamin Franklin. At Penn, with its flexible curriculum and vibrant life, I hope to acquire great depth of knowledge in my field but also have the opportunity to sample different areas of study too. Moreover, I hope to take advantage of all opportunities I have, especially if it means leaving my comfort...

Displayed Leadership When my father's company received an invitation from the Argentinian Government to attend their national commerce seminar, I was static. My mother's pregnancy, the Rio 2016 Olympics, and Brazil's harsh economic situation: there was so much going on that nobody was able to represent us; that's when I stepped up. Not knowing exactly what to expect, I flew to Argentina. Alone at age seventeen, I was fully responsible for representing the family's beverage business. Still overwhelmed by the weight...