Hyperventilating as I rush through my bag, I am praying that the moment would pause for just 5 seconds as my fingers curl upon the rough surface of my camera. With rapid speed, I switch out the lenses and raise my device. The camera flashes, and I sigh with relief—I got the shot. The student was leaning against the wipe-board, black and white design projected across her body. For that brief moment, the only color that managed to surmount the...

Sitting on my couch, my shirt is saturated from tears running down my face. I never knew gum could make me feel this way… Yes! The 2015 Extra Gum Commercial caused my eyes to well up with tears. I remember looking from side to side pondering, “How is this possible?” And it was this moment that initiated my fascination with the emotional power of advertisements. Discovering the awesome capability of this simple one-sided conversation between company and consumer, really without any...

Campus Companions is an organization run by high school students who serve as mentors to younger children suffering from the pressures of social anxiety. Influenced by the early and pervasive use of social media, these kids often struggle with their self-image and how others perceive them. I love serving as a big sister to these children, providing positive guidance and reassurance that true happiness comes from personal satisfaction, not from the validation of likes, followers and streaks.

My involvement with the Jewish community began at a young age. I can remember going to Temple on high holidays, celebrating Jewish holidays, and preparing for my Bat Mitzvah. Growing up in this community, I learned about my cultural heritage, my people’s history, and the importance of tikkun olam, repairing the world. My community has taught me to embody the resilience displayed by my grandfather, a man who survived the Nazi concentration camps and Chinese internment camps, while embracing...

Upon reviewing my extracurricular involvement over the years, one thing has remained true: all of my activities center around people, especially young people. When I am with children, I light up. I know that their hugs come from a place of genuine love, and their sincerity fills me with joy. One club that has had a profound impact upon my priorities is Campus Companions, a program where high school students mentor elementary school students. For two years, I have been...

I found myself confronted with the classic, cynical statement of the all-knowing critic, “I could make this.” I analyzed the little there was to analyze in Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow and made the immediate decision that the piece isn’t art. The palate consists of only black, white, and primary colors; the design consists of only rectangles and squares. I drew the line where modernism became too far of a stretch and where minimalism became...

The old English proverb proclaims itself with complete assurance: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. Asserted by those determined to overcome any obstacle in their paths, within this phrase lies the answer, the one thing we all need to achieve. A will. Debatably the most significant word in the dictionary, will is a noun and verb alike. Yet, I choose to believe that the scholars who first uttered this mantra intended the latter. Whether to indicate to...

Approaching college, I am interested in dozens of subjects, some that I have experienced first-hand and some that have never been formally presented to me. It is my desire to learn EVERYTHING that draws me to Duke. Enrolled in Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, I plan to major in Visual & Media Studies with a minor in Psychology, while also receiving a certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. These interrelated subjects would be an ideal combination for me to build on, designing a...

My involvement with the Jewish community began at a young age. I can remember going to Temple on high holidays, celebrating Jewish holidays, and preparing for my Bat Mitzvah. Through my involvement in this community, I have learned about my cultural heritage, my people’s history, and the importance of tikkun olam, repairing the world. This community has taught me to embody the resilience displayed by my grandfather, a man who survived the Nazi concentration camps and Chinese internment camps,...

Upon reviewing my extracurricular involvement over the years, one thing has remained true: all of my activities center around people, especially young people. When I am with children, I light up. I know that their hugs come from a place of genuine love, and their sincerity fills me with joy. One club that has had a profound impact upon my priorities is Campus Companions, a program where high school students mentor elementary school students. For two years, I have been...

I am a “Comma-holic”. Self-proclaimed, of course, but I believe commas are truly beautiful things. They allow an abundance of detail that adds deeper and more complex layers to every sentence, while circumventing the much feared “run-on.” Some critique excessive commas for their convoluted nature, but I admire the elegant and striking effects of asyndeton. Complex sentences when constructed properly can expand perspective and focus. At the University of Pennsylvania, as with my writing, I will use commas. I will...

Approaching college, I’m interested in dozens of subjects, some that I have experienced first-hand and some that have never been formally presented to me. It’s my desire to engross myself in EVERYTHING that draws me to Northwestern.    Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences will provide me with the ability to explore a diverse array of subject areas that interest me, including psychology, English literature and computer science, through a combination of majors, minors, and certificates. At...