Struggle, page 36 My dad opened his bag. I didn’t know what to expect. Thick? Thin? Colored? Black and white? As he held it in his hand, my eyes glistened. I could smell it. I could perceive its surface. This was the day I got my first issue of TIME magazine. With a sky-blue background and unknown English words, all framed by the distinctive red border, that April 2, issue of TIME magazine appeared as a magic object, coming from far...

I have always been a self-taught kind of person. Growing up, I taught myself English and coding, only to later delve into politics and current affairs. After my discussions with alumna XXXXXXXXXX, I realized that Brown, with its unique open curriculum would give me the flexibility and freedom to explore I have always sought. Further, the unparalleled offerings of the Watson Institute make Brown the best place to pursue my interest in international affairs. Combine that with the urban location...

Tell us where you have lived - and for how long - since you were born; whether you've always lived in the same place, or perhaps in a variety of places. (100 word limit) Omitting the approximately 16 weeks (scattered over 18 years) that I spent exploring the outside world, travelling and discovering, the location log of my life has been pretty monotonous so far. I live in foggy northern Italy, in a tiny town hard to find even on Google Maps. Historically,...

What makes you happy? Waking up early. As a kid, 11 am was my standard summer wake-up time. Growing up, I started adjusting my clock, jumping into reality earlier and earlier. I am not one of those hyper-human green-tea yoga-at-2-am people you often stumble upon reading TreeHugger.com, but I have come to realize that setting one’s alarm at 6 am can really make a difference. Beginning a new day with no sun on the horizon has helped me reach...

“UK, you have been recognized.” As I stood up to deliver my speech, my whole Model UN experience flashed before my eyes. In that moment, I recalled how it all started, with my Italian teacher telling me “there’s this thing you’ll love”. How excited I was to find myself surrounded by people who shared my passion for politics: coming from a school where hardly anyone cares about the outside world, MUN was a superb discovery. I started out...

Why do these areas appeal to you? (up to approximately 100 words). Sometimes, I cannot help but ask myself questions. Facing one of the worst humanitarian crises ever, why are we so indifferent? Encountering barbaric acts of mass violence, how can we be so apathetic? Knowing the extent of climate change, how can we still lack a global framework for action? This planet and its people matter to me more than anything else. As cliché as it may sound, I do...

I declined the University of Pennsylvania and...

Please note that I am an international applicant, and that interview policies for international applicants may differ from domestic applicants'. Brown University: first interview, I was very nervous. Went horribly. Still got waitlisted. Advice from this first interview:...

Think carefully about what teachers to ask rec letters. Not only will you have to find a teacher who has a very good opinion of...

Standardized testing I would plan on having all standardized testing completed by June. Essays are much more important, and risking to write low quality...

Sticking to few exctracurricular activities is the key to standing out....