It began when my twelve-year-old self was crouched down on the old wooden dock with a sturdy stick in one hand and a plastic cup in the other, holding out my arms as straight as possible in order to prevent any contact with the leech that I had poked and then pushed into the cup. The one-eyed dog then trotted along by my side, slightly sideways, as I made my way to the back of the yard where I found...

Second of the two required UC essays - Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?

To the boundless thoughts that cross my muddled mind, my black moleskine notebook is gift, maybe even a godsend, for an attempt to organize on blank pages the mess that is inside. The blank pages provide a space unlike any other, not infiltrated and free of judgement, where my black pen can roam not only across white paper but through potential ideas, beliefs and theories. Each day that allows me to compose my thoughts, my notebook develops into an even...

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