Post Your essay

Colleges & Universities University of Chicago
1081

<p>I slso promised i’d share mine. Deferred EA</p>

<p>Prompt: “This is what history consists of. It’s the sum total of all the things they aren’t telling us." — Don DeLillo, Libra.
What is history, who are “they,” and what aren’t they telling us?
Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, and the same can be said of history. *For every lionized historical figure, there is a dark past or secret to tarnish the image. *For every war won in the name of war and democracy, there is killing in the name of greed and fear. *How one views history depends on where one’s experiences and beliefs line up. *History may seem objective; after all, we know for sure that Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492, but history has a lot of wiggle room for opinions. *Every point of view has bias, as any AP World History student struggling to write a DBQ can attest to, and there are always gaps to fill in, additional documents to long for, and vindication to crave. *History is a massive, shadowy beast, and like the blind men in John Godfrey Saxe’s poem, each of us can grope around and be partly right, yet all in the wrong.
Critics on all sides like to point to an omniscient and vindictive body known as “they” or “the system” to blame for their own ignorance of history. *Even worse, some blame history itself for not enlightening them like some omnipresent, suggestible genie. *History reveals itself to those dedicated enough to seek it, and it doesn’t tell lies. *The people relating it to us often do, but “they” are hardly a conspiracy. *Most often, the tellers and writers of history are writing what fits naturally and painlessly into their worldview and experiences, they may feel a rope instead of the elephant’s tail, and write about said rope, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that they deliberately lie about the tail. Most just don’t take the time to feel any other parts of the elephant.
What they allegedly aren’t telling us depends on who they are, which is not fixed in stone, and their motivations for keeping information under wraps. *Most of the people considered to be “them”-teachers and politicians-know more than they let on, but realize that telling the whole truth would be too much for collective society to handle. *The friction burn from the action and reaction, the duality of history would be too painful. *Overprotective parents would rebuke the teacher who taught the children to say “Columbus sailed the ocean blue, raped and slaved and pillaged too.” *Only foolish politicians would dare to tell the voters that history defies party lines; nuance does not easily fit into catchy slogans and trite soundbites. The better question is: why do we live in a society that cannot bear the full weight of history? *Once we answer the question, we begin to see what we won’t let history tell us.</p>

1082

<p>iron, I LOOVE “the friction burn from the action and reaction.” It reads almost like a well-written college thesis paper–and I definitely mean that as a compliment. It has a very Chicago-ey vibe to me; the fascination with learning is clear. I so hope you get in!</p>

1083

<p>what did you guys think of mine? Get a good laugh out of it?</p>

1084

<p>@nerve thanks so much! i hope you get in too. did you end up sharing yours cause i wanna see it :)</p>

1085

<p>I didn’t! I got a bit shy tbh :stuck_out_tongue: I’ll pm it to you, I just (ironically) don’t have the nerve to post it publicly haha</p>

1086

<p>that’s ok, pm me though! i’m curious</p>

1087

<p>This paper examines, using cross-disciplinary techniques, the fundamental differences between the fruits Malus domestica (commonly known as the apple) and Citrus sinesis (commonly known as the orange). We aim to quantify the basic differences between the two fruits, and accordingly shed light on the age-old misunderstood comparison.
A literary examination posits that oranges are symbolically superior to the apple. Burgess’ “A Clockwork Orange” uses the titular fruit as a symbol of organic and living sweetness that is juxtaposed against the mechanistic morality of the dystopian setting. The orange thus lends itself to literary use by virtue of its pleasantly robust shape and organic squishiness. Meanwhile, the apple is overused as a symbol of the forbidden fruit, and is rapidly losing any sort of aesthetic merit. One need only consider the fact that the only book of note in the last millennia that features an apple on the cover is “Twilight”. We may conclude that while the symbolism of the apple is more straightforward and accessible to pre-teen girls, Citrus sinesis holds more emotional complexity and meaning in a literary work.
Furthermore, we see that in a psychological analysis of the fruits, oranges are female in gender and symbolism, while the apple is representative of an outdated and patriarchal past. The orange is a womb equivalent, in which the true fruit is concealed and protected by the thick maternal rind. Its organic feel, when compared to the callous rigidness of the apple, furthers the idea of this ‘feminist fruit’. Apples, on the other hand, are exclusively male; its stem is seen in Freudian psychoanalysis as a phallic symbol. It is no coincidence that Adam’s apple is Adam’s, not Eve’s. Hence, we see the underlying gender role social dynamics in the comparison of the two fruits; the orange is a symbol of cultural progression and feminism, the apple of traditionalist masculine dominance.
Film study yields a quick and easy answer to this comparison. Apples have inspired zero great films, while oranges lay claim to one (Pulp Fiction).
Science would not be what it is today without the contributions of the two great fruits. The apple is the quintessential “thinker’s food”—Isaac Newton and Steve Jobs, two world-changing pioneers who have transformed the fields of physics and electronics respectively, both found great inspiration in the white-fleshed fruit. Oranges, on the other hand, inspired Big O notation, which describes growth rate of functions as they tend to infinity in mathematics, and has paramount importance in computer science and number theory. Though doctrine holds that O stands for order and not oranges, we find this argument specious because in this vein the notation should’ve logically been named Big G, for growth, and not something that is so easily confused with zero. We hypothesize that the notation was created upon seeing an orange farm, much like Fibonnacci and his rabbits. Unfortunately, neither originator of the notation, Edmund Landau or Paul Bachmann, was available to comment, by dint of being dead for almost a century. This undoubtedly remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in mathematics.
In conclusion, when the lay debater uses the phrase “comparing apples to oranges”, someone needs to drag the intellectual out of the room. We trust in fruitful implications of this groundbreaking analysis.</p>

<p>Accepted, duke’s scholarship</p>

1088

<p>@orcinus2, LOVE the essay. Wonderful send-up of literary analysis techniques applied to a funny topic. It’s “very UChicago”, whatever that might mean.</p>

1089

<p>Accepted EA. I explained a joke …</p>

<p>It’s the year 327 B.C.E. and Alexander the Great has lead his army all the way from Macedonia to Persia, leaving a trail of fallen kings and a bloated empire behind him— at the spry young age of 28, he’d conquered the majority of the Greeks’ known world. Alex and his army had just plowed their way through Persia, killing Darius III and striking a deathblow to the Achaemenid Empire (also known as the First Persian Empire). He’d been reinforcing his army constantly as he moved deeper and deeper into Asia, and after tying things up in Central Asia with a quick political marriage, he approached the Indian subcontinent looking for a challenge. Alex’s troops were now marching into battles that featured, among other things, war elephants (think LOTR but smaller). I don’t know about you, but if I’d been serving in an army that had been at it for 10+ years, regardless of their undefeated status and reinforcements, if I had a girl back in Macedonia and was now thousands of miles away facing down a 2,720kg miniature Oliphaunt, I would maybe lose my nerve. When Alex asked the army to cross the Ganges to greet a reception party of kings, horsemen, infantry, chariots, and yet more fighting elephants, Alexander’s exhausted army essentially said “no.”</p>

<p>Thus begins the long and glorious tradition of foreigners failing in Asian military pursuits—just ask Napoleon, Presidents Eisenhower through Ford, anyone who’s ever tried invading Afghanistan—you get the picture. America’s Asian conflict in WWII didn’t come to an end until their controversial decision to stop worrying and love the bomb.</p>

<p>Fast-forward to June of 1941 C.E., Adolf Hitler has steam rolled his way across Western Europe and a fair chunk of Northern Africa—conquering Poland, Denmark, France, Belgium, Egypt, and others before all the intensity of the eastern front came to bear upon “Operation Barbarossa” in what would be the largest ever invasion in the history of war. Four million axis soldiers marched on the USSR aided by tanks and cavalry. The Axis army pushed their way into the Soviet Union, capturing Kiev and Leningrad by October that year. In mid-October and under deteriorating weather conditions, the Panzer armies had fought their way to 140km outside Moscow. Come December, battered Axis forces were within 24km of Moscow, and blizzards had begun. What nigh on every combatant in their situation seems to forget had come into play: the winter in Russia is cold. Napoleon probably could’ve warned them about that one. The blitzkrieg turned into more of a gefrorenen krieg. The Luftwaffe were grounded and equipment (notably guns and tanks) started malfunctioning due to the mild charms of the Russian winters, and within days the Soviets had regrouped and pushed the frozen Axis armies back by hundreds of kilometers.</p>

<p>In The Princess Bride, Vizzini sits down to a battle of wits with Wesley and proclaims:</p>

<p>“You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders – The most famous of which is ‘never get involved in a land war in Asia’ – but only slightly less well-known is this: ‘Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line’! AHAHAHA AHAHAHA AHAHA- [abruptly keels over]”</p>

<p>You can watch the battle of wits yourself if you have the patience to type in this link: <a href=“The Princess Bride Blu-ray CLIP - Battle Of The Wits (2012) - Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Movie HD - YouTube”>The Princess Bride Blu-ray CLIP - Battle Of The Wits (2012) - Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Movie HD - YouTube; (or if pdf hyperlinks have the good graces to work on your computer). My advice would be to turn off annotations before play!</p>

1090

<p>It is a clever essay. Probably very different from most submitted under the topic. </p>

1091

<p>I chose the ‘develop your own question’ prompt, and had fun with it! It probably sounds way too didactic or preachy, but oh well. Rereading, it doesn’t flow as well as I’d like either.</p>

<p>“Infinity is an abstract concept that describes something that has no limits or has an undefined bound. Since the times of the Early Greeks, the idea of infinity has been used in various fields ranging from philosophy to mathematics. What truly is infinity?”</p>

<pre><code>When I was young, the billions were the largest numbers I knew. Later on, I discovered the trillions. At the time, those numbers seemed gargantuan – a seemingly monstrous concept that I couldn’t wrap my head wrong. As a child, I was fascinated by the swarming masses of ants that seemed to be endless, despite how much I provoked them. To me, it seemed like there were at least a billion, if not a trillion ants. After all, those were the largest numbers I knew at the time. Yet, I learned that colony of ants before me only represented a very minuscule portion of all the world’s ants. This staggering fact never ceased to mesmerize me and I wondered what numbers existed beyond a trillion. More so, I wondered if there was ever an end to counting numbers.

My first introduction to the idea of infinity was in my 6th grade math class. At the time, I never gave much thought to how large infinity actually was or could be. Was it a billion? A trillion? A (gasp) quadrillion? Surely, I believed, there were so many ants in the world that infinity was too small of a number accurately describe the ant population. However, I was very wrong. The idea of infinity first astonished me when my AP Calculus teacher, Mr. Preto, used infinity as a method to solve mathematical limits. It was a revelation to me that infinity could be multiplied or logarithmed, despite already being such a vast number. What number would infinity multiplied by infinity look like? What about infinity raised to the infinite power? These questions sparked my curiosity – was infinity some flexible, water-like tool existing only to be used as a number? Or was it perhaps something greater and universally important?

Infinity, I learned, lies beyond the mathematical scope. It defines both mankind and the universe at its very smallest and at its very largest. From the massive expanses of the growing universe to the infinitesimally tiny particles that make up our atoms, infinity does not define a number. It defines existence. Imagining the concept of infinity as time, it occurred to me that perhaps our universe’s existence, whenever it started, was not the only universe to have come into being. To the human perspective, we will never see the end of our universe as it is assumed to be infinitely large. Yet, our universe might only be the 57813th universe created, all prior 57812 universes ending in some cataclysmal destruction.

I gradually realized infinity became something both frightening and amazing, and I wondered what the first person to grasp the idea of infinity was thinking. When we look at the sky and into space, what we see is an endless void that, unbeknownst to us, may have countless lifeforms on various planets. Or perhaps, in some cynically pessimistic view, the universe has already ended but due to the infinitely large scale of it, the destruction has not reached us yet. Despite the concept of infinity being so incredibly grand, I believe it exists in our brains as well. The human mind wants things like love and happiness to last for a long time, or in some cases, for an infinite period of time. This contradiction of an immeasurable and inexplicable, yet common and familiar idea reveals the beauty of the human mind – that we want the best things to last forever. This suggests that the creation of infinity did not begin in mathematics or science, but rather with the development of the human condition. The first people who came up with infinity were probably not looking at the skies or at a calculus limit, but rather at their own hearts and desires, wanting the best things infinitely.

We live in a world where our lofty aims and ideals cannot be infinite. Fundamental economics describes a society where we make choices and have needs that are based off scarce resources. Yet, what people want most, people want them infinitely. We want to be in a world filled with infinite resources and success, surrounded by infinite happiness, but it is impossible to do so. Infinity is a goal that cannot be reached and is limitless; despite what changes occur in society, being able to provide the plenty resources to match mankind’s needs is impossible. Despite the improbability of reaching an “infinity” stage in society, as a hopeful economist, I believe that there are certainly ways to approach it. Just as how it is possible to count numbers, there are certainly ways to improve society step by step. I believe that infinity does not only describe a number or an idea, but also a vision we should strive to achieve – an idealistic situation where we have more than ample resources and successes, we have an infinite amount of them.
</code></pre>

1092

<p>This is my essay for the “You are you and your…?” prompt. I know it’s not the best essay, but I had a lot of fun writing it. Plus, I uploaded it as a PDF complete with scanned doodles.</p>

<hr>

<p>I’ve always been drawn to doodling. I spurn the denunciations of authority figures who associate the doodle with unfocused foolishness and dull simplicity. Doodles aren’t the inane things they are generally made out to be—instead, they are fantastic forms of creativity and intellect.</p>

<p>Since my childhood, doodling has been a meaningful way for me to use my spare time. After days at school, I sat down at my kitchen table and filled stacks of papers with floor plans for whimsical houses, schools, and zoos. And when my parents arrived from work, I begged to play my favorite drawing game. As we competed together, I always attempted to defend my self-proclaimed title of Prince of Pictionary. These stylistic expressions of my surroundings as a child formed many of the foundations of my thinking, linking what I physically see with the imaginative capacity of my mind.</p>

<p>As I grew older, I formed a more intimate relationship with doodles—a relationship that began when I entered high school. In many classes, teachers have wrongfully viewed my wild imagery as a manifestation of boredom rather than a natural by-product of the problem-solving process. So, I was pleasantly surprised when my physics teacher, Mr. Curtis, stumbled upon my usual routine of visual note-taking and dubbed my style “physics graffiti.” Initially I interpreted this as a negative remark, but I now realize he was playfully signifying not only approval, but also appreciation for the style of note-taking that works for me. Since then, I am less shy being pen-happy at school and still use doodling to express and organize my approach to complicated subjects.</p>

<p>What once seemed like a hobby to me became indispensable when I joined my school’s student government team. In the beginning of my freshman year, my friends and I were tasked with painting our first-ever Homecoming skit backdrop. The group relied on me to sketch a plan for the canvas beforehand, outlining the certain Nickelodeon cartoon characters we were to draw. Although it took hours to complete the project, I felt an immense sense of accomplishment when I saw the finished product, an expanded version of my preliminary doodle. From that moment, I began using concept drawings to complete various projects from t-shirt designs to mobile application layouts. I continue to implement doodles throughout my life as plans, as first drafts, as visions of what could be.</p>

<p>Perhaps the best part about doodling is that anyone can do it, but nobody does it the same way. It really is an extraordinary act of individualism. My doodles are testaments to my desires to solve problems and create. They carry me to the heights of extravagant ideas and dreams yet anchor me down to the physical world. They are more than mere extensions of my imagination—they are extensions of my character. I am me and my doodles, and I am proud.</p>

1093

<p>And here’s my “Why U of C?” essay:</p>

<p>8:00 a.m. I wake up in my Snell House dorm room on a beautiful Wednesday morning. After completing my usual morning routine, I hurry to our recreation room to attend an item brainstorming session with the Hitchcock House for the upcoming Scav Hunt. I then attend my first class of the day, an enlightening world civilizations class I am fulfilling as part of the Core Curriculum.</p>

<p>12:00 p.m. A few of my computer science classmates and I meet at the university’s C-Shop to purchase our weekly one-dollar milkshakes. Here, we quickly review the material from our mobile computing class and then walk to our class. After we take an exam, I remain in Ryerson Hall with my professor to discuss possible computer science research opportunities.</p>

<p>6:00 p.m. I quickly return my books to my dorm room and then make my way to the University of Chicago’s Hillel chapter, where I will assist in our weekly challah-making for Challah for Hunger. As we braid dough, my friends and I intensely discuss the annually polarizing Latke-Hamentash Debate that occurred yesterday. Finally, I commute just ten minutes to a community center where I will participate in a text study session planned by Mishkan Chicago, a religious organization I became familiar with at the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s centennial celebration.</p>

<p>The University of Chicago will provide me with a setting—both on its beautiful campus and in the vibrant city of Chicago—where I can thrive on a daily basis. Although I have not had the opportunity to physically visit the campus, I have extensively explored the university through off-campus presentations and its detailed website. With access to a signature interdisciplinary curriculum that will prepare me to be an informed citizen of the world, a stimulating intellectual community built on a structure of close-knit houses, and numerous research facilities characteristic of a top-notch graduate school, I will retain a variety of outlets to pursue my passions and apply my curiosity. The University of Chicago is my first-choice institution—I wish to take an active role in a community where quirkiness, originality, and intellectualism are not mutually exclusive, but are instead celebrated simultaneously and intertwined into daily life.</p>

<p>10:00 p.m. After a hectic day in the life of the mind, I settle in my dorm room for the night. I need to rest well so that I may enjoy tomorrow just as much.</p>

1094

<p>I had a haiku phase after watching an episode of Avatar the Last Airbender.</p>

<p>Like Apples and Oranges: An extended haiku by PaperSails</p>

<p>The painter has come
Told to draw the fruit basket
He starts to observe.</p>

<p>In the fruit basket,
an apple and orange lie.
Which will be center?</p>

<p>Head to head event,
Just apples and oranges.
Fruta y fruta.</p>

<p>The painter must choose.
He has no idea how.
What do these fruits mean?</p>

<p>Keeping doctors far,
Giving Newton the answers,
Making Steve Jobs rich</p>

<p>When witches come out
On October thirty-first
We bob our heads in</p>

<p>The apple seems grand,
But the Malus leaf can turn.
Book of Genesis,</p>

<p>A forbidden fruit.
The symbol for lust and sin
Poison to Snow White </p>

<p>The rival appears
In between red and yellow
Citrus fruit: Orange.</p>

<p>The strong points of it?
They come pre-sliced in nature.
Fights scurvy at sea</p>

<p>with vitamin C.
The leaves are boiled for tea.
JinCheng Oranges,</p>

<p>A Chinese style,
It is appealing to me.
speaking of peeling,</p>

<p>Oranges fail here.
They’re so hard to get open
If one has no nails.</p>

<p>The orange cuts deep.
Painful memories are brought
the reason being:</p>

<p>War crimes during Nam,
A herbicide gone too far.
Veteran’s cancer.</p>

<p>As the painter thinks
He smiles, cries, laughs, and all
Both bring back so much.</p>

<p>Folklore traditions,
Long lasting health and great pain,
Money and answers</p>

<p>He cannot decide.
So, two paintings will be made.
They both get a chance.</p>

<p>Hours turn to days
Those days changes into months
Finally, he’s done.</p>

<p>One with the apple,
The other holds the orange.
Opinions are formed.</p>

<p>His mom likes the first
His brother seems to differ
Choosing the second.</p>

<p>But that’s how it is
People will compare all things.
Arguments are had.</p>

<p>Friendships made and lost.
All over who’s right or wrong.
Is that what we want?</p>

<p>We’re the same species,
Yet we cannot be compared
I am one man’s friend,</p>

<p>Foe to another.
Multiple ways to view me.
Fruit is the same way.</p>

<p>Apples, Oranges,
They are too complex for it.
Can’t be quantified.</p>

<p>The painter thanks all,
All who examined his art,
To end it all off.</p>

<p>As he packs his brush,
Those around him can see it,
A simple smile.</p>

<p>He grabs the apple,
And then he snags the orange,
To bite into both,</p>

<p>His choice has been made.
No one else knows which painting,
But they see he’s pleased.</p>

<p>A key for readers: Malus = Genus of the Apple
Jincheng = a popular Chinese style of the Orange
Book of Genesis = A biblical allusion to the forbidden fruit in the story of Adam and Eve</p>

1095

<p>I wrote my essay on the mantis shrimp and took a more satirical point of view. What do you think?</p>

<p>The mantis shrimp, known as the Terminator of the sea, are vicious killing machines that see a vastly different world than we do. The mantis shrimp can perceive polarized light, multispectral images, and UV light all abilities humans’ lack. After some deep meditation, I determined numerous entities that the mantis shrimp must be able to perceive that we cannot. The three most important differences are that the mantis shrimp can see the meaning of life, alternate and parallel universes, and sea monsters.
Evidently, the mantis shrimp is able to see the answer to the immortal question, “Why are we here?” The evidence for this begins with us humans. Since humans cannot determine the meaning of life, we have developed many religions and philosophies. If humans could intrinsically see the meaning of life, the world would be unified under one worldview. In addition, when different views on the meaning of life transpire, incompatible religions develop. Incompatible religions inevitably lead to conflicts and war. Now have you ever heard of various mantis shrimp philosophies or of the mantis shrimp Crusades? Of course not! There have never been religious differences for every mantis shrimp can see the meaning of life. For the mantis shrimp to have differing opinions on the meaning of life would be like humans having an argument over how to hear. The unity amongst the mantis shrimp illustrates their ability to see the meaning of life while mankind’s disunity stems from its conflicting interpretations.
The mantis shrimp’s sight allows them the ability to see alternate and parallel universes. Mantis shrimp are very dormant creatures. When they decide to quench their blood thirsty urges and feast upon the innocent, they never make a mistake. How could this be so? Naturally the only logical conclusion is they can see alternate and parallel universes. Using this ability, the mantis shrimp will decide upon the perfect time, place, and techniques to use when attacking another creature. Obviously humans do not have this ability, otherwise the Red Sox would never have traded Babe Ruth, Napoleon wouldn’t have invaded Russia, and most importantly, Dumbledore would have killed Voldemort when he was just Tom Riddle. Humans must use statistical analysis to predict events, yet the mantis shrimp is more precise without the use of statistics. Therefore, it’s obvious that they must utilize their eyes to see the alternate universes to make such decisions. The mantis shrimp’s uncanny insights can only be explained by the mantis shrimp being able to see alternate and parallel universes.
Mantis shrimp unquestionably see sea monsters, ones like the Kraken and the Loch Ness Monster. Humans obviously lack the ability to see sea monsters otherwise we would evade them and there would be no tales of humans consumed (which are reputable for everything on the internet is true). Why else would the mantis shrimp hide? To us it seems that they have very few natural predators. The mantis shrimp can see the Kraken and Loch Ness Monster which is why they hide in burrows. Have you ever heard of a mantis shrimp being eaten by the Kraken or of mantis shrimp clans wiped out by the Loch Ness Monster? The reason is that the mantis shrimp can see these sea monsters so they are able to avoid them.
Mantis shrimp have special sight that allows them to avoid sea monsters, see alternate and parallel universes, and perceive the meaning of life, all gifts that unfortunately humans don’t have. The aforementioned gifts are only a few examples of what they can do with their eyes. There have been rumors they can also see ghosts, radioactivity, and the solutions to the U.S. national debt. Just remember, life is more than meets the eye, unless you’re a mantis shrimp.</p>

1096

<p>Haha guys I thought I was so original when I wrote a poem for my essay…</p>

1097

<p>I wrote about the history prompt and talked about the USSr and my family’s own experience with changing and rewriting history</p>

1098

<p>Accepted EA with Presidential scholarship. Essay on oranges vs. apples:
Oranges are a dichotomy of flavors and textures: sweet and tart, tough and squishy, solid and liquid. Pick up an orange and you must dig your fingernails deep into the aromatic flesh to reveal its true nature. Eat the orange and you must pray that you will not squirt yourself, that you will not swallow a bitter seed and germinate rebellious flora within. There is a silent cacophony within an orange—a sense of tragic incompleteness—for beneath its flesh an orange is ugly and wrinkled. But an orange is also beautiful, its marred flesh hiding a pleasing taste and pleasant aroma. I eat oranges in moderation.
Apples, on the other hand, are simple and reliable—the foundation of all fruit. Buy an and you know the taste even before you crunch-crunch-crunch to savor the cool sugar. There is a harmonic chorus within an apple that permeates the entirety of its flavor, aroma, and feel. No discordances, no tri-tones, no Mixolydian inflexions. I eat one Granny Smith apple every day.
My philosophy on music echoes my views of oranges and apples. The most moving and intriguing of all composers—the ones that demand my attention and capture my mind for hours—are strange and imperfect. Dmitri Shostakovich and Igor Stravinsky do not confine themselves to the tonalities of the past and riddle their works with bitter seeds. When I listen to such compositions, these ugly wrinkles in the music germinate in my mind and compose new interpretations of the world. I listen to Shostakovich and Stravinsky several times a week.
For these plantings to flourish, they must be sowed in solid ground amongst the toughest of dendrites and fastest of action potentials. Apples are this foundation, the ground, the basis of all fruit. To enjoy the complexities of an orange, you must first have tasted the simple perfection of an apple. Similarly, you must first hear the tonal perfection of Johann Sebastian Bach and the basso continuo of Antonio Vivaldi to understand the ingenuity of Shostakovich and Stravinsky. In the fertile Baroque soil, each ti resolves to a do and the predictability crafts neuron pathways, with a foundation for strangeness. I listen to Bach and Vivaldi each morning.
Both oranges and apples are necessary for the wholeness of spirit. Though their inward parts echo different harmonies, sing different melodies, beat different rhythms, and cast different sound waves; the knobby orange and smooth apple are—at their core—music. It is in this capacity that they ought to be compared: tone against timbre, aroma against flavor. For together, oranges and apples are a symphony. </p>

1099

<p>Surprised by an acceptance this afternoon. I promised myself I would post my essays here if I was accepted, so yeah: </p>

<p>Why UChicago</p>

<p>I first fell in love with the University of Chicago neither because of a college tour nor one of UChicago’s extremely well made and numerous advertisements in the mail (more on that later). In fact, the first time I heard that there was even a school of UChicago’s caliber and pure quirkiness in Chicago was after I had a photo exhibited in the W Hotel, also in Chicago.</p>

<p>You may be thinking, “This kid; he dareth offend us with such mockery. The University of Chicago was established as a premier research and liberal arts institution in 1890!” Well, 2013 rolled around, and it looks like I had only recently heard of it (and I’m usually such a hipster). After my photo was chosen out of twenty four thousand entries by the W Hotel, I started to do some research on the city of Chicago, and inevitably discovered the University of Chicago. Then, an UChicago admissions representative chose to grace my high school with her presence; no school of the University of Chicago’s name or prestige had dared venture onto the grounds of my isolationist Christian high school until UChicago. For that, I would like to deeply thank the University of Chicago.</p>

<p>Since the visit to my high school, I was on the hunt to know everything UChicago. Everything about the University of Chicago appealed to me, from the Core to the city of Chicago and from reading Aristotle to the Arts Pass. UChicago represents to me a vibrant, intellectual community of thinkers, artists, and personalities. It is hard to describe the sense of community and genuine love of learning I feel ebbing from every link on uchicago.edu and mailed advertisements I receive. I want to be a part of the University of Chicago community in every sense of the word “community.” I love how I could be so close to the bustling city of Chicago yet so immersed in a friendly and intellectual community. I know that with a University of Chicago education, I would be prepared for whatever the world has to throw at me in a reasonable and informed manner. I am ready to learn about the world from a perspective different than the one I have (unwillingly) adopted at my Christian high school. I am ready for UChicago.</p>

<p>Retouching on those extremely well made and numerous advertisements in the mail; I just want to extend my congratulations to whoever is in charge of designing them. I am consistently blown away by the amazing photography of both campus and the city of Chicago. I am not joking when I say joining the photography group that produces UChicago’s advertisements will be one of the first things I do on campus.</p>

<p>Optional </p>

<p>The Onion is my favorite news source. With headlines such as “Drugs Win Drug War,” “Area Man Passionate Defender of What He Imagines Constitution to Be,” and “Parents Seize Creative Control Of 3rd-Grade Art Project,” it’s clear that The Onion is largely a parody of current events, government, and society. Although some are offended by The Onion’s often incisive satire, I believe that such cynicism is both telling and healthy. Satire, whether in literature, music, or television, is a confrontation of society’s moral faults. To be able to lampoon those in charge is symbolic of freedom of speech, which without, authority would remain unchallenged and essentially infallible. The Onion, despite seeming simply witty and even shallow, serves a deeper purpose as a platform for questioning the world around us. As I check The Onion daily for new articles, I expect to be entertained, offended, ashamed, and receptive. To my knowledge, there is no other news agency as culturally significant or absurd as The Onion. Perhaps, as it boldly claims, The Onion is truly “America’s Finest News Source.”</p>

<p>Extended Essay I chose my own topic. Really disliked this one but I suppose it didn’t matter. </p>

<p>In her tirade defending the whiteness of Santa Claus, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly declared,
“Just because it makes you feel uncomfortable doesn’t mean it has to change.” Tell us about a
time something made you feel uncomfortable and how you reacted to it. </p>

<p>“It’s the homosexuals, they’re sabotaging the community.” I overheard my high school
headmaster whisper to the administrator lunch table. I paused, gripping my water bottle tightly in
my hand. He went on earnestly, citing the many ways in which the “sinners" violated the most
sacred biblical principles and were so blasphemously treading upon the sanctity of marriage; I
just wanted to scream. </p>

<p>There is discomfort to be found in many situations: pushing a door when it says “pull,” asking an
innocent man wearing a red polo for help at Target, or forgetting the punch line of a joke halfway
through telling it. But there is nothing as uncomfortable as being surrounded by people who
ardently disagree with you. </p>

<p>I disagree with a lot of people at my high school, on issues ranging from the use of the word
“swag” to institutionalized religion. One of the key issues facing modern America (or more
specifically, fundamentalist Christians) is the debate over gay rights. As perhaps the only
politically liberal-minded person at my high school, I am of the minority opinion that love is free,
and homosexuality is not some curable sin by choice. But when the prayers over the morning
announcements pray for the souls of homosexual people and even the school headmaster feels
the need to pin blame and discriminate, I feel like enough is enough. Why can we not just treat
other people like people? </p>

<p>Yes, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and, yes, those opinions can differ and that is
totally fine. But when those opinions can lead to outright disgust and condemnation of others
human beings… is that really okay? I would like to think I am stating the obvious when I say
homosexual people should have rights as people, but at my Christian high school that would not
be true. Whenever I do try to make a case for basic humanity, my teachers and peers are
immediately suspicious of me, because clearly I am out to undermine their very religion (kind of
like the time there was almost a Young Democrats Club). All of the angst towards anything that
does not conform to popular Biblical teachings at my school does more than make me
uncomfortable; it makes me scared. Why can everything not just be sunshine and lollipops and
we can all just talk about things reasonably (and preferably without religious bias)? At my high
school, any opinion divergent from Christian convention incites a maelstrom of judgment. That
kind of atmosphere I find extremely uncomfortable for anyone seeking a diversity of opinion. </p>

<p>That day the headmaster made the comment about homosexuality, I did not, although I did want
to, scream. Rather, I kept walking toward my lunch table, half thinking “I cannot believe he just
said that” and half “I just want to go to college. Right now.” Because my high school is so
beyond xenophobic when it comes to divisive issues such as gay rights, it is not a place I feel
comfortable at all. </p>

1100

<p>^I like your Why UChicago essay. It is authentic and it conveys a real affinity for the school. </p>