Overall Optimistic

Recently, I’ve had to revisit my high school days. It was a time where I felt alone in a world full of love. It reminds me to work hard; that I must continue to strive forward. A recurring theme is believing in others. It was because of other people’s belief in me that I’m now in college. Had it not been, I wonder where I would be now.

These past three years, a recurring desire is to understand physics. I made many plans to do so, but they’ve always been overridden by work from classes, other interests, and commitments. This semester, I find myself taking two history and politics classes: exploration of embodiment and reforming criminal justice. Knowingly, my mathematics and physics knowledge is deteriorating as I read about national systemic issues, what it means to be human, and the struggles people go through. I enjoy weaving intersections between classes and what I’ve experienced and seen. My physics training has been put on hold, so I must do something about that. I record it here to document the existence of this desire that I will fulfill.

I’ve finished applying to engineering schools. I’ve submitted applications for scholarships and summer research opportunities. There is still more work to be done, as I finish up one last segment of applications. There are two tracks of which I aim for: materials science research and engineering for low resource settings. One question that is perennially on my mind is how can I personally connect my research in interests with my interests in solving complex social issues.

Yesterday, I sat on a bench overlooking a marsh. Birds flew all around me, swooping, diving, and chirping nature’s song. They pushed themselves upwards with persistent flaps, then descended by the pull of gravity. With their weight, the tension in their wings released: “Trust in the fall.” Trust in the place in where you are. Trust in this world that we live in. And trust that all will be fine after.