University of Virginia
Prompt: Describe a place or environment where you are perfect content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
Everyone has their place where you can be you and be genuinely happy. It can be at home in your room or in your imagination where you can roam freely. Being a ballet dancer, my favorite state of mind is when I'm dancing. The rush of adrenaline pumping, the hype of getting the movement right, and just the total feeling of it, makes me tingle inside. There would be no place for me to feel that rush, if it wasn't for my dance school, Queen Emma Ballet. It's the only place where I can be in that state of mind and fit in with everyone there. It has people I can relate to, people to look up to, and gives me the best feeling in the world. Even if it sounds very cliche, this place will always be my home away from home, the place where I was allowed to be who I wanted, and where I belonged.
When people first see me, they rarely think that I'm a dancer and the thought of me being a ballet dancer is a one and a million chance. I really don't fit the image of a "prima ballerina" in training. I'm basically a girl who just liked to dance and my studio was the place where I got to embrace it. In grande allegro or big jumps, I can fly across the room easily. In pirouettes or turns, if I set my mind to it, I'm able to do 3. Which in my studio is a lot. Dancing makes me feel free. Almost like I'm superhuman. I can do the impossible when I'm dancing. I'm in control and there's no one telling me what I have to do. In ballet class, I'm me in every single possible way. I can put my own little flair into each combination which makes ten times more fun. The studio itself is small and simple, but there's nothing I would change about it, except occasionally adding AC for those really hot days. The best thing about it is that I feel totally comfortable, like it's my home. It gives a welcoming vibe that is impossible to resist.
The studio had it's own special charm, but the people that came with it made it all the more amazing. I can't go that much in detail about who they are, but I'll just leave it at awesome. They are some of the most awesome people in the world. They put up with me four days a week and they still haven't tried to get rid of me yet. The memories we make are never not incredible. We just have fun, do weird, stupid things, but we own it. We're a special type of breed of dancers that just perfectly fit together. Without them, it would be like having having no pho (a.k.a. my favorite food ever) in the world, which means that I would be the saddest person in the universe. They help me improve, dance-wise and personality-wise, and make bad days not that bad. I completely trust them which I can't say for a lot of people in my life. They're my family that loves me no matter how weird I can get.
My friends and the studio would be nothing if we didn't have our teachers. Just like school, I have teachers that I love and teachers that I "tolerate". The teachers I love, I would never replace. One of my favorite teachers, Ms. Eve, who is like our dance mom. She gets mad at us a lot, just like any other mom would, but somehow manages to still love us. We even have little special talks about life and school, and it makes going to dance practice feel like it's not practice. The connection that I have with her is different than a regular student-teacher relationship, and like I have been saying this whole essay, we're a family. Having her in my corner has made me more courageous and outgoing because I knew could always count on her. She and all the other teachers tie the whole essence of Queen Emma Ballet together.
Queen Emma Ballet is and will always be my second home with the best second family a girl could ask for. Just the thought of the place brings a smile to my face. On some days, it beats going home. When I'm either at my lowest or highest, I can always count on this place to be there 24/7. I don't even have the words to tell you how special this place is but I will tell you how grateful I am to be a part of it. I don't think I would be half the person I am today without this place. I know that this place has made me more confident and courageous, which is something I'm still working on. We may be small in size and quantity, but we're a force to be reckoned with. I love this place because in any other place I would never feel like I belonged like the way I feel at Queen Emma Ballet A.K.A. the place where I'm perfectly content.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Word Choice Oymipics
1. Walking through the doors to see his children for the first time in 8 months, he couldn't help but to smile. His heart beat picked up as he saw his kids for the first time. He dropped to his knees as they ran to hug him. Once they were in reach, he pulled them in for a big hug. Smiles stretched from ear to ear. With tears in their eyes, they shouted with joy, "Daddy I can't believe your home!"
2. "I know you killed my husband." she thought when she sipped her tea. "I wanted you to come over so we could talk John". "I'm happy to be here, what did you have in mind?" he replied with no hesitation. "I wanted to show you something." she said, walking over to a picture of her and her late husband. His heart started beat faster as he took the picture in his hand. "I see it in your eyes, you murderer" she thought again as she pointed the gun to the back of his head. She hesitated as her hand began to shake. She felt her stomach drop as she pulled the trigger, killing the man she knew her whole life.
3. Winding down to last few seconds of the match, United States were able to get that last point they needed. The score was 26-26 with 35 seconds on the clock. The ball was now in play. 15 seconds on the clock, the ball was set for the spike of the year. 10 seconds, she waited for the perfect moment, she spiked the ball as hard as she could. With 5.6 seconds left, the match was over. With the blow of the whistle, the referee announced the winner, "United States with 27-26 takes the gold medal." Every bone in their body tingles with excitement. They stood on that platform, pledging to the United States of America, proud to be a part of it.
4. Looking down into darkness, your stomach twists. "Come on, jump off!" your friends yell at you. You don't want to look like a wimp, so you close your eyes and take a deep breath. You can here the waves crashing into the rock as you bend your knees. Your mind goes into overdrive on the worst case scenarios. The beat of your heart picks up as you make your decision to jump. You scream at the top of your lungs until your toes hit the water. Completely submerged in the water, you spring back up for air. Gasping for air, you realize you actually jumped. Relieved and calm, you smile waiting for your friends to follow your lead.
2. "I know you killed my husband." she thought when she sipped her tea. "I wanted you to come over so we could talk John". "I'm happy to be here, what did you have in mind?" he replied with no hesitation. "I wanted to show you something." she said, walking over to a picture of her and her late husband. His heart started beat faster as he took the picture in his hand. "I see it in your eyes, you murderer" she thought again as she pointed the gun to the back of his head. She hesitated as her hand began to shake. She felt her stomach drop as she pulled the trigger, killing the man she knew her whole life.
3. Winding down to last few seconds of the match, United States were able to get that last point they needed. The score was 26-26 with 35 seconds on the clock. The ball was now in play. 15 seconds on the clock, the ball was set for the spike of the year. 10 seconds, she waited for the perfect moment, she spiked the ball as hard as she could. With 5.6 seconds left, the match was over. With the blow of the whistle, the referee announced the winner, "United States with 27-26 takes the gold medal." Every bone in their body tingles with excitement. They stood on that platform, pledging to the United States of America, proud to be a part of it.
4. Looking down into darkness, your stomach twists. "Come on, jump off!" your friends yell at you. You don't want to look like a wimp, so you close your eyes and take a deep breath. You can here the waves crashing into the rock as you bend your knees. Your mind goes into overdrive on the worst case scenarios. The beat of your heart picks up as you make your decision to jump. You scream at the top of your lungs until your toes hit the water. Completely submerged in the water, you spring back up for air. Gasping for air, you realize you actually jumped. Relieved and calm, you smile waiting for your friends to follow your lead.
5. "Ring ring!" You wake up to an irritating buzzer. You shut your annoying alarm off and groan. Your bed feels undeniably comfortable but you have a busy day of school ahead of you. "I'll just sleep for five more minutes" you say, and doze off. Jolting up in bed, you realize those five minutes turned into thirty. Throwing the blanket off you bounce out of bed trying not to be late. Brush your teeth, wash your face, change your clothes and your all set. Looking at your bed, all you want to do is jump back in and fall back into a soothing sleep.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
College Essay Rough Draft
University of Virginia
Prompt: Describe a place or environment where you are perfect content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
Everyone has their place where you are you and just happy, whether its at home in your room or in your imagination where you can roam freely. Being a dancer, my favorite place to be is dancing. The rush of adrenaline pumping, the hype of getting the movement right, and just the total feeling of it, makes me tingle inside. There would be no place for me to feel that rush, if it wasn't for my dance school, Queen Emma Ballet. Even if it sounds very cliche, this place will always be my home away from home, the place where I was allowed to be who I wanted, and where I belonged.
When people first see me, they rarely think that I'm a dancer and the thought of me being a ballet dancer is one and a million. I really don't fit the image of a "prima ballerina" in training. I'm basically a girl who just liked to dance and my studio was the place where I got to embrace it. In grande allegro, I can fly. In adagio, I release my emotions. In ballet, I'm me in every single possible way.
The studio itself is small and simple, but there's nothing I would change about it, except occasionally adding AC for those really hot days. The best thing about it is that I feel totally comfortable, like it's my home. It gives a welcoming vibe that is impossible to resist.
The studio had it's own special charm, but the people that came with it made it all the more amazing. I can't go that much in detail about who they are, but I'll just leave it at awesome. They are some of the most awesomest people in the world. They put up with me four days a week and they still haven't tried to get rid of me yet. The memories we make are never not incredible. We just have fun, do weird, stupid things, but we own it. We're a special type of breed of dancers that just perfectly fit together. Without them, it would be like having having no pho (a.k.a. my favorite food ever) in the world, which means that I would be the saddest person in the universe. They help me improve, dance-wise and personality-wise, and make bad days not that bad. They're my family that loves me no matter how weird I can get.
My friends and the studio would be nothing if we didn't have our teachers. Just like school, I have teachers that I love and teachers that I "tolerate". The teachers I love, I would never replace. One of my favorite teachers, Ms. Eve, is almost like our dance mom. She gets mad at us a lot, just like any other mom would, but somehow manages to still love us. We even have little special talks about life and school, and it makes going to dance practice feel like it's not practice. The connection that I have with her is different than a regular student-teacher relationship, and like I have been saying this whole essay, we're family. She and all the other teachers tie the whole essence of Queen Emma Ballet together.
Queen Emma Ballet is and will always be my second home with the best second family a girl could ask for. Just the feeling of the place brings a smile to my face. On some days, it beats going home. I don't even have the words to tell you how special this place is but I will tell you how grateful I am to be a part of it. I don't think I would be half the person I am today without this place. I know that this place has made me more confident and courageous, which is something I'm still working on. We may be small in size and quantity, but we're a force to be reckoned with. Queen Emma Ballet A.K.A. the place where I'm perfectly content.
Prompt: Describe a place or environment where you are perfect content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
Everyone has their place where you are you and just happy, whether its at home in your room or in your imagination where you can roam freely. Being a dancer, my favorite place to be is dancing. The rush of adrenaline pumping, the hype of getting the movement right, and just the total feeling of it, makes me tingle inside. There would be no place for me to feel that rush, if it wasn't for my dance school, Queen Emma Ballet. Even if it sounds very cliche, this place will always be my home away from home, the place where I was allowed to be who I wanted, and where I belonged.
When people first see me, they rarely think that I'm a dancer and the thought of me being a ballet dancer is one and a million. I really don't fit the image of a "prima ballerina" in training. I'm basically a girl who just liked to dance and my studio was the place where I got to embrace it. In grande allegro, I can fly. In adagio, I release my emotions. In ballet, I'm me in every single possible way.
The studio itself is small and simple, but there's nothing I would change about it, except occasionally adding AC for those really hot days. The best thing about it is that I feel totally comfortable, like it's my home. It gives a welcoming vibe that is impossible to resist.
The studio had it's own special charm, but the people that came with it made it all the more amazing. I can't go that much in detail about who they are, but I'll just leave it at awesome. They are some of the most awesomest people in the world. They put up with me four days a week and they still haven't tried to get rid of me yet. The memories we make are never not incredible. We just have fun, do weird, stupid things, but we own it. We're a special type of breed of dancers that just perfectly fit together. Without them, it would be like having having no pho (a.k.a. my favorite food ever) in the world, which means that I would be the saddest person in the universe. They help me improve, dance-wise and personality-wise, and make bad days not that bad. They're my family that loves me no matter how weird I can get.
My friends and the studio would be nothing if we didn't have our teachers. Just like school, I have teachers that I love and teachers that I "tolerate". The teachers I love, I would never replace. One of my favorite teachers, Ms. Eve, is almost like our dance mom. She gets mad at us a lot, just like any other mom would, but somehow manages to still love us. We even have little special talks about life and school, and it makes going to dance practice feel like it's not practice. The connection that I have with her is different than a regular student-teacher relationship, and like I have been saying this whole essay, we're family. She and all the other teachers tie the whole essence of Queen Emma Ballet together.
Queen Emma Ballet is and will always be my second home with the best second family a girl could ask for. Just the feeling of the place brings a smile to my face. On some days, it beats going home. I don't even have the words to tell you how special this place is but I will tell you how grateful I am to be a part of it. I don't think I would be half the person I am today without this place. I know that this place has made me more confident and courageous, which is something I'm still working on. We may be small in size and quantity, but we're a force to be reckoned with. Queen Emma Ballet A.K.A. the place where I'm perfectly content.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
College Essay Prompts
1. University of California: Describe the world you came from - for example, your family, community or school - tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.
2. New York University: Describe an experience that has impacted who you are as a person. What is special, unique, distinctive about you or your life story?
3. University of Chicago: A neon installation by the artist Jeppe Hein in UChicago's Charles M. Harper Center asks for us: "Why are you here and not somewhere else?" (There are many potential values of "here", but we already know you're "here" to apple yo the University of Chicago; pick any "here" besides that one).
2. New York University: Describe an experience that has impacted who you are as a person. What is special, unique, distinctive about you or your life story?
3. University of Chicago: A neon installation by the artist Jeppe Hein in UChicago's Charles M. Harper Center asks for us: "Why are you here and not somewhere else?" (There are many potential values of "here", but we already know you're "here" to apple yo the University of Chicago; pick any "here" besides that one).
Friday, August 29, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
Coming of Age FINAL
My grandpa was one of the main people in my life. I saw him first thing in the morning and the last at night. My dad told me stories about how much my grandpa loved me. My dad said he always pushed me around outside and made me my own hammock in the middle of the living room when I was still a baby. He was one of my heroes from day one. He always encouraged me to be the best I could possibly could but as I kid, I didn't really take it seriously. I just nodded my head to pretend like I understood. After we went on with our lives. I remember lazy afternoons with him playing cards, how we loved to play Wii bowling together, and how he made the lamest jokes but I still laughed to see him smile. He was definitely the best grandpa a girl could ever ask for.
During middle school, my grandpa was starting to get sick. He made constant visits to the doctors and the hospital. It was an endless feeling of fear if he was going to die or not. When I realized who serious it was, I started to help out. I went to each doctor appointment, made sure he took all his medications, took his blood pressure, and everything else in between. I was basically his nurse, but I was happy to be there for him. It was hard to balance out school and taking care of him, but I knew that it meant a lot to my family knowing that I was there. I thought he was getting better, they thought that he might even get home in time for Christmas, but the unthinkable happened Christmas morning.
My stomach twisted and turned all night. It felt like something wasn't right. I woke up like it was natural for me to be up at 4 in the morning. I heard talking in the hallway and I instantly knew something wasn't right. My dad told me, "We're going to the hospital, grandma called. Something happened with grandpa." My heart dropped, thinking of the worst. Pulling myself together, I got into the car hoping for the best.
We finally arrived at Kuakini Hospital. This place had become so familiar over the past weeks. I knew exactly where I needed to go. The elevator ride felt endless. I just wanted to get to him and prove that nothing was wrong. I stepped out of the elevator and saw my grandma sitting down, crying. He was gone. They told me "he's in a better place where he isn't suffering". This comforted me, but that fact he was gone still killed me. I couldn't cry because I felt like I wasn't allowed too. I felt the need to be the strong one to comfort everyone else. The only thing that was on my mind was making sure that everyone else was okay even if I wasn't.
A week later, my uncle who was planning my grandpa's funeral, asked me if I wanted to say anything at the funeral. Thinking that I had to, I accepted. That night I sat my desk, pencil and paper ready, thinking of my grandpa. When I thought about my grandpa, all I thought about was how strong he was. He moved our whole family to Hawaii from the Philippines hoping to find a better life. He taught me how to be strong just like him. He never frowned or cried, he just kept on going. He was definitely one of my heroes. He always smiled, cheered me up, and just made me happy. I remember playing cards at the hospital with him, watching TV together, and eating together every night. Thinking about all my memories with him made me so happy, but I felt a tear roll down my check. I smiled knowing that it was okay to miss him because I still had a part of him with me.
A month or so after, we had his funeral. Standing there at the podium, my main goal was to cheer to everybody up. I talked about how my grandpa was funny and always smiling. I looked to my family to see smiles on their faces. I don't think I have ever felt so good in my entire life. After everything was said and done, my family came back to our house. We talked all night about my grandpa. I smiled and laughed all night long with the people I love while hearing about my grandpa and his long, happy life.
During this whole process, I learned so much. As a kid, I thought I was responsible, but I didn't really know what that meant. At school, I did just enough. I didn't really go above and beyond what I could do, I just made it to get the grade. I never really put my full effort because my teachers thought it was good enough. My grandpa always taught me to excel in life, whether it was in school or anything else. I didn't realize what that meant until after he was gone. I started putting everything I got into everything I did, whether it was school or dance. Saying goodbye to one of the most important people in my life was one of the hardest things to do, but it made me stronger. I knew that losing him meant a new chapter in my life. I wouldn't see him every morning and night and I would have to survive without his support. My grandpa was a strong, happy man, and now it was my turn to follow in his footsteps. He's my motivation to be the best person I can be everyday. He went through so many hardships, like moving our whole family to Hawaii with only having a 4th grade education behind him. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he tried his best and look where it got him, a long, happy life with a loving family. I don't know what was going happen next after he was gone, but I know that my grandpa would want the best for me. With him in my heart, I'm ready for what comes next.
During middle school, my grandpa was starting to get sick. He made constant visits to the doctors and the hospital. It was an endless feeling of fear if he was going to die or not. When I realized who serious it was, I started to help out. I went to each doctor appointment, made sure he took all his medications, took his blood pressure, and everything else in between. I was basically his nurse, but I was happy to be there for him. It was hard to balance out school and taking care of him, but I knew that it meant a lot to my family knowing that I was there. I thought he was getting better, they thought that he might even get home in time for Christmas, but the unthinkable happened Christmas morning.
My stomach twisted and turned all night. It felt like something wasn't right. I woke up like it was natural for me to be up at 4 in the morning. I heard talking in the hallway and I instantly knew something wasn't right. My dad told me, "We're going to the hospital, grandma called. Something happened with grandpa." My heart dropped, thinking of the worst. Pulling myself together, I got into the car hoping for the best.
We finally arrived at Kuakini Hospital. This place had become so familiar over the past weeks. I knew exactly where I needed to go. The elevator ride felt endless. I just wanted to get to him and prove that nothing was wrong. I stepped out of the elevator and saw my grandma sitting down, crying. He was gone. They told me "he's in a better place where he isn't suffering". This comforted me, but that fact he was gone still killed me. I couldn't cry because I felt like I wasn't allowed too. I felt the need to be the strong one to comfort everyone else. The only thing that was on my mind was making sure that everyone else was okay even if I wasn't.
A week later, my uncle who was planning my grandpa's funeral, asked me if I wanted to say anything at the funeral. Thinking that I had to, I accepted. That night I sat my desk, pencil and paper ready, thinking of my grandpa. When I thought about my grandpa, all I thought about was how strong he was. He moved our whole family to Hawaii from the Philippines hoping to find a better life. He taught me how to be strong just like him. He never frowned or cried, he just kept on going. He was definitely one of my heroes. He always smiled, cheered me up, and just made me happy. I remember playing cards at the hospital with him, watching TV together, and eating together every night. Thinking about all my memories with him made me so happy, but I felt a tear roll down my check. I smiled knowing that it was okay to miss him because I still had a part of him with me.
A month or so after, we had his funeral. Standing there at the podium, my main goal was to cheer to everybody up. I talked about how my grandpa was funny and always smiling. I looked to my family to see smiles on their faces. I don't think I have ever felt so good in my entire life. After everything was said and done, my family came back to our house. We talked all night about my grandpa. I smiled and laughed all night long with the people I love while hearing about my grandpa and his long, happy life.
During this whole process, I learned so much. As a kid, I thought I was responsible, but I didn't really know what that meant. At school, I did just enough. I didn't really go above and beyond what I could do, I just made it to get the grade. I never really put my full effort because my teachers thought it was good enough. My grandpa always taught me to excel in life, whether it was in school or anything else. I didn't realize what that meant until after he was gone. I started putting everything I got into everything I did, whether it was school or dance. Saying goodbye to one of the most important people in my life was one of the hardest things to do, but it made me stronger. I knew that losing him meant a new chapter in my life. I wouldn't see him every morning and night and I would have to survive without his support. My grandpa was a strong, happy man, and now it was my turn to follow in his footsteps. He's my motivation to be the best person I can be everyday. He went through so many hardships, like moving our whole family to Hawaii with only having a 4th grade education behind him. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he tried his best and look where it got him, a long, happy life with a loving family. I don't know what was going happen next after he was gone, but I know that my grandpa would want the best for me. With him in my heart, I'm ready for what comes next.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)