A door of opportunity

Editor’s Note: Many seniors at GBHS have written college application essays filled with passion and heart. The GBHS Gazette has asked fourteen college-bound seniors to share  excerpts of their essay. After you have read all the excerpts, try to guess what senior wrote it.

A)The memories of the nightly fishing expeditions with my father and grandpa will always stick out in my mind…Whether it was over who could catch the first fish, the biggest fish, or the most fish, we always challenged one another.  To this day, striving to get more from myself remains one of my greatest motivators; it pushes me to improve.

B) Unlike sports and classical dance forms where movement is controlled, breakdancing allows me to freely express myself because I’m bound by no rules. When I’m competing on stage, everything is happening at the moment, and I am empowered to make up moves as I go along while feeling the music. During performances, I feel like my limbs are Picasso’s paint brushes and the stage is my canvas.

C)   Even I, at the age of 7, was expected to hammer nails, cut wood, and mix cement on the work site, so I felt the sting of splinters, the blow of a misplaced hammer stroke, and the trickle of sweat, but I also saw the tears of gratitude, noticed the selflessness and humility of the volunteers and beneficiaries, and experienced contentment in the knowledge that I had helped someone.

D)   Cancer helped me understand to let go of what I could not change, and instantly reminded me of what I do have which is complete control over my attitude and reactions. When confronted with my own mortality, I reevaluated what I feared.  I used to worry about “bad hair days” and then I contemplated losing all my hair with chemotherapy. So much of what I worried about prior to my diagnosis seemed trivial, and now I had the opportunity to reshape my thoughts as well as my future aspirations.
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E)   On a September weekend in 2005, I took a trip with my dad to climb the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, Mt. Whitney… Having my dad there always helped because seeing him continue on inspired me to do the same.  Encouraging each other gave us each a push to not give up.  Eventually, I would persist through the pain and arrive at the top where I became speechless… Since nature and the outdoors are a significant part of who I am, I have decided that helping preserve our environment and working to create a better future is what I want to spend my life doing.

F)   Amidst the throngs of Granite Bay High students, I might be spotted among any number of cliques.  I am an amalgam of interests – I am a jock who excels academically, a band geek who loves to socialize, and a book nerd who appreciates a good movie marathon.  I cannot be put in a box, and have always prided myself on getting along with many different people.

G)   To me, it’s simple: get up, put on your shoes, and go–that’s it! As simplistic as this may sound, running has given me so much in return. Every 6:00 a.m. practice, “interval” routine in the rain, and “double-digit mile” afternoon was yet another opportunity to challenge my established comfort zones… I loved doing it, because running gave me an outlet to release stress, as well as to get “in the zone” to contemplate many things about life.

H)   Lauren was not only a remarkable sister who greatly influenced my life, but she was a remarkable young woman who touched the hearts of many (people)… She was a hard act to follow…. Her sincere compassion toward… others is a direct reflection of the faith that our family shares… Through the guidance of my parents and the example of my sister, I realized that “success” is not monetary or in status, but living a life without regret (and) serving others.

I)   Growing up, I have found myself acting unlike my peers. I don’t sit back and let life pass me by. Instead, I branch out… I don’t know whether this is because I have been brought up to be open-minded and self-confident or because I don’t want to miss out on anything, but either way I actually enjoy being different.

J)  A simple choice of toppings (on my frozen yogurt) symbolizes my love for the small things in life, and when something is said and done, it’s the little things that counts, like the final chocolate chip at the bottom of my  fro-yo bowl.

K)   As more participants came to my station, I took notice of their smiles and the can-do look in their eyes… The atmosphere was so festive and optimistic that I found myself fully engrossed in it… Although a number of the athletes never made contact (with the golf club), every single one gave me a high-five or a hug before continuing on. It was on that day, as I witnessed the delight on the faces of the contestants (at the Special Olympics), that I fully grasped how much of an effect volunteering can have on others and how much of an effect it indeed had had on me.  

L)   As I matured I increasingly began to understand the value of listening in an orchestral setting. Performance, like speaking, is interactive. You have to respond to the pizzicato of the violins with a gentle staccato on the clarinet, you have to feel the tuba’s angry forte and respond with a fervent fortissimo, and you must understand and respond to the feeling, the music, and the art… Listening also gave me its finest gift, a dream for the future. I am now set upon teaching, a profession that requires listening as its foundation. It is my dream to become a better teacher and listener, and it is my hope that they are one and the same.

M)   My family has always centered on food. The importance of having a family dinner and a holiday meal were not only to have good food but to see everyone and check in. Food has come to signify a sense of security; it is my comfort in life.
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N)   It’s 8 am… and I am in full operating scrubs, wearing a splatter mask.  Immediately to my left, Dr. Moore gestures to me with his oscillating electric saw and explains how he will raze the femur to a flat surface….Watching the surgeons operate was like seeing art in motion; they moved so deftly and efficiently that my jaw, which thankfully was hidden by my surgical mask, was dropped in amazement the entire time… I knew that I would allow nothing to get in the way of becoming a leading cardiothoracic surgeon myself.

KEY:
A) Kevin Carlson, B) Eric Chee, C) David Odineal, D) Alexa Crawford, E) Greg Sinclair, F) Libby Jelinek, G) Marisa Naughton, H) Bryant Hom, I) Stefani Lombardo, J) David Bitner, K) Erin McCormick, L) Pradhan Bhat, M) Loren Cherry, N) Drew Forlini