My College Essay

Opening the door reveals blank walls, bare floors and a ceiling fan, revolving ever so slowly until all movement ceases. Once dancing with tales of encounters with strangers, bitter remarks concerning high school boys, and tears flowing through one of two juxtapositions of emotion, the room is empty.

The walls are stripped of my childhood. Marks of where nails were once drilled into the wall are invisible. Where my books once stood in the tall bookshelf, lost in a crowd of brown bleak boxes. I’ve ritualized this moment, it’s all too familiar. Each parting is unique and each room is a gallery, collecting innermost thoughts and continually shaping them until my inevitable departure. The cycle may be delayed, or even provoked; but it always lingers over me.
The international moves are most frequent and most exhilarating. From the imposing Manhattan skyline, to the blazing heat of Texas, from England’s unique quaintness to Singapore’s culture, the pink-hued sands of Bermuda to the golden desert in the UAE, I cannot recall the last time I’ve felt a sense of permanence.

Stepping into the unknown, realizing that preconceived notions of each location are drastically different from reality, is normally a delightful surprise. Returning to an address also reveals differences, although more in myself. The combination of changes, relocations and adaptations to new surroundings epitomizes my lifestyle. Establishing roots into an already smoothly running society proves difficult in many ways. Once those roots ground themselves they are hoisted and replanted somewhere new. Perhaps the biggest challenge is adapting to new cultures. Nonetheless, moving unquestionably offers benefits.

Unique cultures cannot be viewed at a museum. Ethnic food is always ‘Westernized’ before reaching our palates. A globe is no substitute for Mother Earth; she has to be experienced directly. Through the intimate relationship I have with the world, I’ve revelled in her most fascinating views and explored her various traditions.

A nomadic lifestyle instils qualities that are atypical to young adults: flexibility, maturity and diplomacy. I understand the plights of people globally, I understand their traditions and lifestyles. While such lessons haven’t been easy, and often times I resent the fortune that has been brought upon me, I’m in a unique position of influence.

The crux of life stems from experience; only through stretching myself will I grow. Respect, maturity and compassion can be gained from these international experiences and with the help of cultural fusion and open minds, I hope to reach the most domestic of citizens and open their eyes to the world’s offerings. I’m eager to spend the next four years of my life at a university where I can gain a sense of permanence and purpose.
With each ending chapter comes a new beginning. I spy my vivid Turkish lamps, bottles of pink Bermudian sand, Nepalese art peeking out of a box, also eager to adorn new walls and shelves. I look at the empty room before me, close the door and look forward to the next chapter of my life.