With an orange in each of my eight-year-old hands and a crease on my forehead, I embarked on an important mission: juggling. For days, I futilely attempted to simultaneously toss one item and catch the other. By the end of each training session, I was left with dented oranges barely edible, and after a week, I went through a bag of them. I was so determined to juggle that I destroyed the objects in my hands, but thankfully, I mastered...

Compared my addiction to caffeine to an addiction for public speaking

As I dragged my feet to the front of the room, one thought dominated my mind: this may have been my dumbest idea yet. I was about to give a three-minute speech on limiting the caffeine concentration in beverages and food at congressional debate camp, which I had unwittingly signed up for without any experience whatsoever. Caffeine – an addictive substance used as a stimulant; caffeine – the only reason I was still standing. I stumbled, stuttered, and turned a deeper shade...

hard-working, determined,...

SAT scores and...

I first had a large list of over 20 colleges I...