reading the essays that got us into princeton (personal statement & supplemental essays) (twin ver.) – Transcript

00:00Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. And so I think my, I submitted my essay with the title in it so I called it Fortune Frenzy and this is

00:28the essay. With every fortune cookie I devour, I stockpile every half by 2.2 inch blue inked crinkled white paper enclosed within the shell. As my stock pile 312 fortunes continues to grow. My fortune box is starting to overflow with affirmations. Eager to read each inspirational quote, I pick up the case, shovel the papers around, and randomly pluck out three. Examining them, I'm

00:56struck with how each fortune mirrors my life. Music will play an important role in inspiring your creativity. Interestingly, music became my creative outlet on my Lolo's grandfather's birthday. I recall my extremities pulsating with passion as I pressed middle C for the first time. Now music ceaselessly plays throughout my brain as I find myself scrambling for paper, transcribing the newest melody from my compositions. Sitting at my piano, I fill the house

01:25with fluttering arpeggios and soling dynamics. Broadening my repertoire, my fingers learn the articulation of Chopin's waltzes and Beethoven's sonatas. I also hone my improvisational jazz skills, embodying my Lolo's touch, still feeling his hands below mine as he taught me the 2-5-1 chord structure. When it's time to relax, I put in my earbuds and immerse myself in any musical realm I desire. No matter where I am, I express my emotions with the

01:52universally understood language of music. I know Lolo would be proud of my musical artistry. Let others confide in you. It may not help you, but it will surely help them. As I read the second fortune, my mind floods with memories of confiding in my mother. Playing with my Hello Kitty plushie on the stairs, I overheard my mother counseling her mother over Lolo's death. Later that night, I revealed my heartache and she shared her sorrow, hugging me as tears

02:19stream down both our cheeks. Wanting others to have the same support my mother gives me, I create a safe space for everyone I meet, whether by tutoring peers during lunch or having late-night facetimes with friends discussing our unwritten futures. Everyone should always have someone to talk to or have a shoulder to cry on. Regardless of the time or situation, my shoulder is available and I'm always one call away. Although I'm here to listen to and comfort others, I

02:45feel fulfilled, maturing with every person I assist. To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world. This fortune reminds me of my bilingual household, not by birth, but by choice. I didn't grow up speaking English. Menting about my worries and stresses from school, I've craved his verbal empathy. The language barrier distorted the distance between us. Our

03:12words never reached each other, while our hearts ached to be mutually understood. Scrolling through various telenovelas, I clutched at the Gala dictionary, practicing my pronunciation and expanding my vocabulary. Last summer, as we strolled along our favorite boardwalk together, I mustered the confidence to speak the words of my mother tongue. No, my father's tongue. The bulwark between us transformed into a bridge connecting us. With this new

03:38Tagalog window, I finally see and understand dad's unconditional love for me. I'll admit that fortune cookies are tasteless, but the hidden meaningful messages are the true treat. Justly opening the plastic package and holding the crisp delight, my fortune frenzy ignites. Excitement rushing throughout through my fingertips while breaking the shell. Like people, the cookie's value is on the inside, waiting to be revealed to the world. I liken myself to a fortune cookie. While having a golden brown

04:08complexion and a delicate nature, I am more than what meets the eye. I'm a music connoisseur, a kind hearted companion, and a compassionate daughter. A new journey awaits. anxious about the future, I shake the box and pick another proverb. It reads, focus on your goal. Don't look in any direction but ahead. To be continued.

04:30Kind of cool. I both miss and do not miss this time of my life. I was at all time well. I have to know that was you in here. Oh yeah. Okay. Okay. I totally mind blending the edges. Every Saturday night around nine o'clock p.m. I sit cross-legged on my bathroom floor. My makeup sprawled around my feet. Uncapped eyebrow pencils, uncovered rosy

04:58blushes, and spilled makeup brushes across the white tan tiles. I stare into my handheld mirror and ask myself the weekly question, what look do I want to display? Another ordinary makeup session, I select my favorite products from the piles prepared to autoply my routine. But on August 27, 2022, as I motion for a flat brush, something just clicked, I realized that my makeup routine was no longer cosmetic. It was more than

05:25just a physical extension of myself. Step one, apply foundation. I saturate the brushes fibers in a golden brown swatch, swiping it across my round sun kissed cheeks, reminiscent of how my Filipino upbringing defines my home life and social interactions.

05:42Two years ago, my family hosted Christmas, the epitome of family gatherings. I sprinkled the ground tamarind into my Cindy Gung soup, the tangy aroma swirling through the kitchen to the front door. With the living room now crowded with family, I strike familiar chords on the ivory tees, spurring Christmas carols and shameless vocals throughout the night. I found my tech the way present pile, the snowflake ornamented boxes reminding me of my paper cuss and wrapping paper scraps. After a present preparing marathon, I

06:12reached my final destination, delivering cherubic smiles to my younger cousin's faces. Step two, apply concealer. Following the base layer, I wave this magical makeup wand and pinpoint the sulking dark circles between my button nose and my coffee colored almond eyes. My expressions instantly brighten, paralleling how my American spirit fuels my eternal quest towards confidence. How do I enliven myself? I recount the

06:40uncounterable hours scribbling speech flashcards one week before presentation day. While I flip through my chronologized notes, my tongue tying at every other sentence, my gaze gravitated to a scroll posted, compelling me to quote, speak, don't talk to the judge. Brimming with my new found self affirmation, I found myself rehearsing my unaccompanied speeches shuffling through my bedroom, the creptures retired on my nightstand. As the judge blend his attention, I've lost them with conviction in my stride,

07:09dignity in my stance. Step three, blend, blend, blend. I pout upon examining the jarring transition between two distinct layers resembling the duels between my cultural identities. At school, I was a first generation student clutching my delicacy teaming lunchbox through the hallways. But at the dinner table, I sometimes stayed quiet during our dinnertime conversations and bears that I forgot a word in Filipino. I was intimidated by

07:37this isolated disparity. I grab another brush and diffuse the distinction between the foundation and concealer. I now understand that I've been blending both cultures my entire life, working towards the American dream. Coming home from elementary school, I watched my parents trickle quarters into a three foot tall water jug, its contents funding our first family trip to London. I watched as Mr. Gellis, my fifth grade teacher scribble his final advice in my yearbook, go

08:04on to do bigger and better things. Empowered by this inspiration, I embody the immigrant sacrifices and American psyches ideologies. I redefine my limits, connecting one more laboratory test, performing on one more stage, edging one more year until I depart into unfamiliar territory. I orchestrate my American dream. Step four, examine the finished look. I bring the mirror to my face and admire the completed masterpiece makeup that highlights my best

08:33features. My eyes crinkle with joy at the seamless transition between the foundation and concealer. This August 27 2022 makeup look was unique for my previous Saturday ventures. Throughout the process, I married my makeup routine with the beautiful melting pot of me, cultivating the self acceptance of my Filipino American authenticity in that life altering epiphany. I solidify a vital step in both my makeup routine and self reflection. The importance of blending the edges just a little

09:01bit more. Okay, so now we're going to look at some of the supplements that we wrote for Princeton and I'll also show the the prompt that they have for this year. So I'll read the first one. As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural

09:28sciences and the social sciences. What academic areas most peak your curiosity and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? With the current and the bedroom door closed, my eyes glued themselves to the television ahead. Good eats filled the 10 o'clock PM timeslot and 12 year old me hummed the show's theme song, the melody perfectly burned into my memory. I gladly rewatched the House of the Rising Bun episode featuring these soft puppets that

09:56sported blue, googly eyes and the blue green pipe cleaners. Ironically, these corny mascots spearheaded my fascination for chemistry. I laugh at the fungi's magical burps fascinated by the conversion of sugars into a delectable delight igniting my kitchen scientist persona. These interests translated to the maids laboratory where Bunsen burners became caramelization stations and beakers became melting pots. My involvement in chemistry labs furthered my appreciation for compound conversions and reactions.

10:26Here, a correct titration was the most gratifying achievement. Furthermore, my high school experiences unlocked my interests in environmental science. In particular, green energy, a forefront discussion regarding environmental policy requires the optimization of biochemical mechanisms. Synergizing the concepts of chemistry and sustainability, I conduct my own material transformation and playing yeast fermentation to innovate biofuels using local invasive plants. I am thrilled by Princeton

10:54University's material for energy technologies and efficiency, which discusses unprecedented technologies for renewable energy, along with the research at Professor Jose Avalos' lab focusing on biofuel yeast engineering to capitalize biochemical processes. Princeton specialized opportunities will enrich my academic experience. From manipulating fuel production to baking the perfect sourdough loaf, I am empowered to utilize chemistry to improve my community.

11:23That was cute. Nice. Okay. This is a prompt one. As my 8th grade science class prepared for a quiz the following day, my teacher showed the class a TED-ed video titled Where Do Jeans Come From. My eyes were glued to the colorfully descriptive graphics on-screen, showing illustrations of unwinding DNA helices. Excited to explore their YouTube channel, I delved into the plethora of videos like the immortal cells of Henrietta Lacks. Ted-ed quickly ignited my passion for the

11:52mechanisms behind biology. Particularly in the video What is Epigenetics? The narrator states how epigenetics can explain identical twins' difference in health and appearance as life progresses. Focusing on the environment's role in DNA alteration, I became engrossed in molecular biology, discussing the role of nature versus nurture with my biotechnology teacher to learn how different my twin sister and I would become. And I avidly researched mRNA vaccines' function against

12:22COVID-19. I aspired to continue my passions at Princeton University with a molecular biology concentration. I would enjoy studying from DNA to human complexity, as well as attending molecular mechanisms of longevity, the genetics, genomics, and cell biology of aging, as these classes showcase the micro aspects of biology, although applying it to a broader perspective. I'm also excited to conduct research under Professor Olga Trojanskaya to combine genetics with computer technologies for better

12:51comprehending human health and gene expression. Princeton's range of opportunities to study the details behind biological phenomena propels me to not only comprehend genetic diagnoses, but also to create disease treatments that affect all demographics.

13:07Number two is prompt is 150 words. Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work, experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. Okay. Connecting with my Filipino culture has allowed me to bond with my family and appreciate my heritage. Growing up Filipino American, I worried that I would be unable to experience the specificities of my parents' homeland. Luckily Filipino immigrants continued many traditions in the United States,