Please use the format below when you post (Heading two for your name and regular type for the sentences).
Anne El-Shafei
Seed Sentence:
I used to think that homeless people did something wrong to be put in such horrible situations, but when looking into the eyes of a homeless man and understanding that nobody chooses the life they are given, I felt more sympathy for them and regretted my harsh prejudice.
Description:
I was once outside in the cold because I had to present a research project for a summer internship I was a part of. While outside, waiting to present, I saw an elderly homeless man, or so, that is what I think he was. He sat and stood outside in the cold for hours, and although I too, was standing outside, I had to. And surely, if I had a choice, I would have been inside. I kept on looking at him out of curiosity and stared into his eyes on more than a few instances. Looking into his eyes, I felt as if I was looking into his soul, as cliche as it might seem. And since that day on, I've regarded the homeless differently. I started to view them as individuals who didn't get a choice in the unfortunate life they lived, but did what they could to get by. I gained respect for them.
Traci Rubin
Seed Sentence:
Once I was a young girl full of spirit and courage but too shy to release her thoughts in a sea of people but now I am a young woman, full of even more spirit, but now a powerful agent in a complicated world ready and willing to take everything on with an iron fist.
Description:
At one time, when I was younger, I used to have multiple ideas about how I could make the world a better place and how I could influence others to follow my lead, the only dilemma was that I was too shy to voice these thoughts. Now, I am more vocal than ever with a pure love for public speaking, hoping that my passion for a better world will rub off on everyone I come in contact with. Of course, this challenge is extremely difficult but I am now more prepared than ever to take on this challenge head on.
Michelle Roter
Seed Sentence:
When I lost my best friend of 5 years in a horrific dispute, I thought that I would never be happy again, but little did I know that I would actually benefit from this conflict and I am now happier than I’ve ever been.
Description:
My best friend Julia was practically my sister. We would spend every living moment together. However, after the incident, we went from the best of friends to the worst of enemies. I felt lost when she was gone. During our friendship I always followed in her shadows and this conflict forced me to break out of my shell and become my own person. I am no longer that same girl that I was. As a result of this conflict, I am much more confident, outgoing, and my life has drastically changed for the better. These improvements probably would not have happened if Julia and I were still friends.
Emily Gelb
Seed Sentence:
Once I was convinced that people cannot change who they are and their ways of life; now I am confident that anyone can strive to be different and improve themselves.
Description:
When I was younger my mother struggled with alcoholism and went through a difficult relapse. Originally, I felt betrayed and hurt by her actions, but after her time in a rehabilitation center and a sincere apology, I knew that I could forgive her and move on. Now, she is a completely changed person. I feel like I can trust her with anything and she is the first person I can go to for advice. Despite this experience being a time filled with hardship, I learned that people can change who they are if they truly put effort into it and work to improve themselves. Without this experience I don't think I would have learned this important life lesson and be as compassionate to others' mistakes as I am now.
Michael Mintz
Seed Sentence:
When I was stricken with illness and was in desperate need of support, I became very dependent on my parents to facilitate my needs. Now that I have liberated myself from the effects of Crohn's disease, I feel as if I have gone through a transformation process. I now look in the mirror and see an independent adult in place of a reliant juvenile.
Description:
When I was in seventh grade, I was diagnosed with Crohn's, a chronic inflammatory bowell disease. Throughout my schooling years I became very dependent on my parents to take care of me. At my sickest moments, my parents were always there to support me. In my essay, I will write about my claim that it is basic human nature to turn towards others in times of need, as exemplified by my experience. Also, I will write about the surgery I had before college to temporally get rid of the illness and how that has liberated me and allowed me to experience being independent.
Chris Ertel
Seed Sentence:
Once I was distant and antagonistic with my sister. Despite living in the same house, our relationship was always strained and we rarely felt the need to improve it. However, now that we both live in separate places and attend college, our reliance on each other and the strength of our relationship have both greatly improved.
Description:
For many years of my life, I lived in close proximity to my sister without ever truly having a noteworthy relationship with her. Most people would commonly assume that living with someone would enable you to forge a relationship with them; however, living apart from my sister is what catalyzed us into interacting. Through this sentence, I plan to explore how distance ironically improved our relationship and how gaining independence allowed me to realize how I needed my family to a greater extent.
Matthew Cheung
Seed Sentence: The home I lived in was like a double-sided blade. It served as a shell for my development and it helped me nurture me into who I am today. At the same time it kept me away from the world around me, shielding me to experiences that were vital to my development into adulthood.
Description: While growing up in Queens, New York helped me learn a lot of things it also shielded me from many things. I was fortunate enough to exist in a society of a cultural melting pot where people of all different races and religions are generally accepted. Living in New York City caused me to become a more open person, but it also prevented me from learning of all the bigotry and prejudice outside my home. Now that i have moved on to college I must deal with people who do not see the world as I do, which is challenging because I did not really have to deal with this problem previously.
Yae Jin Oh
Seed Sentence: Never had I used the "road less traveled by", but once I did, the route my life consequently took changed me more than following others a hundred times had. I had always been a follower, my identity mashed by an opaque slant of the beliefs held by the majority.
Description: When I was younger, I battled constantly between wanting to fit in with everybody else and standing out with my own individuality. From the simple act of joining the cross country ski team, a sport no one in my school took seriously, I began to understand how a seemingly insignificant decision could cascade into a lifestyle of making choices that represent solely who I am as a person. With this sentence, I plan to discuss how I was eventually able to acknowledge that finding my own niche in society was not by having the same tastes and humor as everyone else, but by making my own unique outline that would fit in the jigsaw of my community.
Diana Siegel
Seed Sentence: I once thought that one can easily be defeated by a harsh situation; now I am a true believer of the quotation “What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger” for the fact that one has to grow off of pervious circumstances
Description: During my junior year of high school, several events transpired that greatly impacted my life. With a schedule jam packed with honor and AP courses, there was no time for a break, let alone catastrophes. In the fall of 2008, my grandma passed away due to failed kidneys. With this tragedy looming over me, and with a broken heart, I had to still focus on my studies with this constantly on my mind. Only a couple of weeks later, my uncle received news that nobody wants to get: the diagnosis of cancer. With more pain and anxiety packed on, I had to strive to do my best with keeping a strong mind on my studies. I am always challenging myself with advanced classes in order to push myself to the highest extent. While this has been a year full of anxiety, I am persisting to grow both mentally and academically. I am a proof of the quotation, “What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.”
After 9/5
Camille Adolphe
Seed Sentence:
Being blessed with positive role models whom I can relate with motivated me to not only be self-confident and independent, but to constantly develop and obtain my own aspirations.
Description:
I’ve grown up in a very segregated and impoverished neighborhood my entire life. With that said, every school I’ve ever attended has been predominantly Black and Hispanic American. Because these schools and my neighborhood has lots of political red tape on it (both by senators and gangsters alike), it was very rare for young adults to find a positive role model. However, I am blessed to have not only a family of strong and successful Black women, but to have many influences throughout my life who motivated me to imagine, dream, and create my own destiny.
James Kirdahy
Seed Sentence:
Once I was naive took what people said at face value, now I realize that people are biased and often have ulterior motives, so I look for a deeper meaning.
Description:
I feel that oftentimes, school assignments are hardly applicable to real life situations. However, a certain teacher I had early in my high school career assigned weekly article reviews in which we were to identify the bias that the author had, and the reasons for it. This has affected me in that I had not previously realized that even official reports could contain bias, and made me more aware that my peers and even mentors often focus on a specific viewpoint or perspective. I now question everything I read or hear, in the hopes that I will be more receptive towards other ideas.
Rob Watros
Seed Sentence: My dad and I used to have almost no relationship at all; but as I grew older I realized that my parents are the most important people in my life and now my dad and I are very close.
Description: My dad and I have never really been that close but, over the past about year and a half, my dad and I have been working very hard to get our relationship back on track. I realized that he has a hard time showing how much he really loves me and I have learned to accept that. My dad and I have made great progress over the last year. We used to always get mad at each other for any little mistake either one of us made. But now we talk things out and act how two family members should act towards one another. I think opening up and creating a relationship with my dad has been the best choice of my teenage life.
