As a kid, I was always frustrated when adults either didn’t know or couldn’t explain the answers to my questions, and now that I’m old enough to have some knowledge of my own, I’ve developed a passion for sharing that knowledge with anyone silly enough to ask. I love to explain things, from why waxed skis glide better on snow than unwaxed skis do to why pick-up trucks are more fuel efficient with their tailgates closed. On the drive to and from school, I bombard my parents with information including, but not limited to, quantum physics, FDA regulations, and why high-heeled shoes are impractical. In fact, I like explaining things so much that last week, while studying for a big physics test, I found myself teaching Newton’s three laws to my pet rat Marcus. I doubt that Marcus actually understood any of it, but don’t worry, I also help willing subjects understand things that they request me to explain.

Truthfully, I have trouble saying “no” to such requests. I get more joy from properly explaining Stoichiometry to a struggling chemistry student than from finishing my own chemistry homework, and when a friend I tutored in math aced her test, I felt just as excited as, if not more excited than she was when she received her score. My love for explaining things will always be a part of me, and I’m grateful that I’m able to use that passion to help others understand things they otherwise wouldn’t have, whether they’re a person or a rat.