I’ve always been the kind of person who'll do anything to achieve my goals, and maybe that’s exactly why I’ve learned how important it is to stay self-aware and reflect on my thoughts and actions. My name is Alisa, and throughout my life I’ve tried to become the best version of myself. It started at my school in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where I never received a final grade lower than excellent, from my first year of elementary school through graduation. Since academics came naturally to me, my drive to excel extended beyond the classroom. But, unfortunately, adult life works differently. Right now, I’m finishing a gap year that I took to prepare for my studies in the U.S., which has been a significant challenge for me — especially the dance auditions, the field I’m most passionate about. For the first time, I truly saw how competitive and unpredictable the real world can be. I didn’t have the privilege of starting dance early; I began at fourteen. To reach a level high enough to be selected, I had to put in an enormous amount of effort... while also learning not to lose myself in the process. The most important lesson early adulthood teaches us is this: We must learn where the line is — the line between giving everything we can to achieve an ideal result and understanding our limits so we don’t harm ourselves. My experience with mental health can be defined by an ongoing effort to understand that line. For a long time, I believed that pushing harder was always the answer — even now I sometimes catch myself thinking this might work. In my mind exhaustion meant progress and doubt meant I wasn’t working hard enough. Over time, however, I began to recognize the cost of that mindset. I saw how easily ambition could turn into pressure, and how quickly self-discipline could become self-criticism. Learning to pause, reflect, and allow myself to be imperfect has reshaped my goals: success is no longer only about achievement, but also about balance and sustainability. I don’t just want to reach my dreams. I want to arrive there as someone who is still whole, which is harder, but still crucial. This shift has also changed the way I build relationships and understand the world around me. I’ve become more attentive to what others might be experiencing beneath the surface. Growing up in a culture where mental health was rarely discussed, I once believed that silence was normal. Now I understand how much is lost in that silence: connection, support, and understanding. Recognizing my own struggles throughout the admission process has shown me the value of every emotion we experience, and the importance of finding a balance between growing and staying true to yourself.

To me, a “mash-up” is an oddly perfect combination of two completely unrelated things that somehow end up complementing each other. When I first thought about what to create, my mind immediately went to objects. And then, quite naturally, I thought of the seaside. I’d been there this summer, and those memories still feel so alive within me. The sea, to me, is a world of its own – full of life, plants, and colors, constantly moving and reshaping itself. In some places, there are so many of these creatures that the entire shore is literally made up of seashells, scattered and shining under the sunlight. I remember walking along the waterline, listening to music through my headphones, and letting my thoughts drift away with the rhythm of the waves. It felt incredibly natural and peaceful – as if I was perfectly in tune with the world around me. Now, back in my hometown and surrounded by autumn air, I can’t take those same seaside walks or watch the sunlight dance on waves of salt water. But I still carry those moments with me – in my memory, in the feeling of calm they gave me. And even now, when I put on my headphones and let the music play, I can almost feel that same peace again. That connection between sound and memory became the main inspiration for my mash-up. You’ve probably heard the saying that if you hold a seashell close to your ear, you can hear the sound of the ocean. Of course, it’s only an illusion... but such a beautiful one. I’ve always loved the idea that something as simple as a shell can carry the echo of the sea. So I decided to blend those two symbols – headphones and seashells – into one object, representing the source of sound, memory, and emotion all at once. This concept grew into my digital drawing, which I first sketched down roughly in my notebook. I focused on capturing the dynamics, the motion of sound, the flow of waves, and the quiet energy of remembering something dear. The final piece became a reflection of how I experience connection: between nature and technology, between sound and silence, between the outer world and my inner state. When someone looks at this artwork, I hope they can feel a trace of that same calmness and warmth I felt while creating it. As if they, too, are standing by the sea, listening to the waves through their own seashell headphones. ________________ P.S. To complete my application I also attached a collage of things that define me and this art project: the sea, the movement, the light and the dark. All these photos are either made by me or I am on them. Thank you for your time and review.

I remember it like it happened just yesterday. It was August 17, 2021. I’d been into K-pop for six years already, but there wasn’t any group that had taken a special place in my heart. I was at our cottage that day, enjoying some of my last moments of summer. I’d seen a few clips of the members and heard that this group under BigHit was supposed to have a comeback soon. Something clicked in me, so I patiently waited for the release of their new M/V. LO$ER=LO♡ER was amazing. I remember being so intrigued by these five emo boys dancing on top of the van. It was the same day I first thought about dancing outside my room. It had always been just a hobby — my main focus was drawing — yet something changed in me that day. I became a MOA very quickly, and my love toward Tubatu grew each day. I binge-watched TO DO and other variety shows and learned a lot about the members’ lives and the group’s universe. I felt like I completely belonged to this family when I bought tickets for TXT’s ACT:BOY online concert and "went" to it. It was fascinating seeing the five boys, who once made a promise to the star, finally perform their solo concert. Out of many beautiful moments with Tubatu, this one is special to me. I love all members equally, but at the same time, I feel a different kind of connection with Yeonjun. We’re similar in many ways: both determined toward our goals, sometimes too harsh on ourselves, and both trying to be "the only one, not the best one." I fell in love with his morals and the way he performed, which made him my role model. I don’t usually share this, but an important period of my life was when I dreamed of becoming a K-pop idol myself. It wasn’t just a teenage phase. I spent three years mastering my performance skills and learning Korean. I covered many of Tomorrow X Together’s choreographies and songs, took part in countless auditions, and realized what being an artist truly means. It’s not just about entertaining people — it’s a responsibility to make the audience cry, laugh, and dance, to make them feel their deepest emotions and enjoy the moment. And I came to that realization thanks to the members of Tubatu. After spending so much time working toward this goal, my dream transformed. I still enjoy singing and writing songs, but I realized that my biggest passion is dance. My current goal is to become a professional dancer through higher education in the U.S., which I see as a vast, dynamic stage. I dream of becoming a versatile commercial dancer — not to become wealthy or popular, but to touch people’s souls, create a positive impact, and feel that if the TXT members knew me in person, they’d be proud of me. I come from a single-parent household and currently work as a dance instructor, so I don’t have much money to support my ambitions yet. But I use every scholarship opportunity and my academic excellence to make the most of what the world has to offer. Hopefully, this will provide me with enough financial support to continue working toward my dream. I know there are many talented idols out there, but I’m especially passionate about Tomorrow X Together because they truly are a family and make every MOA feel like part of it. Despite their perfect image, they create a warm feeling of being understood. And throughout my life and career, I’ll always try to be that kind of person for my loved ones and my community. I’ll be forever thankful to Soobin, who taught me to be true to myself and to take on leadership; to Yeonjun, who showed me that there's no need to compare yourself to others; to Beomgyu, who reminded me it's okay to not be okay; to Taehyun, who showed me that there’s love stronger than the word “love”; and to Huening Kai, who reassured me that I am enough. I'm eternally grateful to Tubatu for helping me dream bigger and share my love with the world around me.

Spring 2024, junior year of high school. With the rising fame of “Espresso,” I first gave a listen to “emails I can’t send” by Sabrina Carpenter. That was exactly when I started chatting with my future boyfriend (now fiancé) and exploring my higher education options. Something new — something to fill my thoughts and change my everyday life. The beginning of my American dream, all accompanied by Sabrina’s songs. “Decode” was for the times when I tried to figure out what he was thinking, the song I would play while carefully listening to the lyrics and relating to them. “Skinny Dipping” became the second 'theme song' of my life back then, with its message of growth, healing, and trusting that time will bring clarity. It’s all about picturing what lies ahead, even if you don’t yet know how you’ll get there. That gave me the push to chase everything I wished for. Now it’s the end of summer 2025. I obviously am a fan of Sabrina, and now I’m preparing for higher education in the U.S., getting ready for auditions for my dance programs. I plan to become a commercial dancer who will share the stage with wonderful and hardworking people like Sabrina herself, reaching higher every day. Her art and discography have given me the confidence to go for it, the feminine energy to enjoy myself in this challenging and precise process, and the motivation to never give up. And now, with all that, who knows — maybe someday I’ll become an inspiration for other young girls around the world, just as Sabrina was, and still is, for me.

What do you go through when the person you give all of your love to treats your emotions as if they’re just... tolerated? As if you're being intrusive, annoying even, instead of getting the recognition of what you’re truly trying to show. They don’t give the same effort, don’t feel the same way. You know you deserve better, yet you still desperately try to make them love you more, even if it is hopeless to do so. This deep of a feeling is captured in Taylor Swift's "tolerate it" and brought to life through her performance of the song. Coming from the album "evermore", the musical piece vulnerably portrays the continuous struggle of a caring person who can't escape the indifference of their loved one. Swifties had the rare, once-in-a-lifetime chance to see this performed live on the Eras Tour, and in my opinion, it was one of the most moving and unforgettable moments of each night. It begins with a lyrical intro: she's carefully setting the table, trying to get everything right, thinking of him... We hear the piano play. It creates a warm and soft feeling, which then, unfortunately, is being transformed. He comes in the dining room, tired, she's looking at him. The table is so long, it shows the distance between them. The lyrics explain themselves: she notices every detail about him, tries everything to make him happy and here for her, but nothing really works. She then climbes the table, reaching for him, yearning, but it's just like talking to someone who isn’t really there. This performance leaves me overflowing with emotion and empty all at once... Even if I watch it for the 100th time. And I love this state, because I believe real art should touch you in this way. That’s why, for me, Taylor Swift’s performance of the song "tolerate it" remains the most moving.

Spring 2024, junior year of high school. With the rising fame of “Espresso,” I first gave a listen to emails I can’t send by Sabrina Carpenter. That was exactly when I started chatting with my future boyfriend (now fiancé) and exploring my higher education options. Something new — something to fill my thoughts and change my everyday life. The beginning of my American dream, all accompanied by Sabrina’s songs. “Decode” was for the times when I tried to figure out what he was thinking, the song I would play while carefully listening to the lyrics and relating to them. “Skinny Dipping” became the second 'theme song' of my life back then, with its message of growth, healing, and trusting that time will bring clarity. It’s all about picturing what lies ahead, even if you don’t yet know how you’ll get there. That gave me the push to chase everything I wished for. Now it’s the end of summer 2025. I obviously am a fan of Sabrina, and now I’m preparing for higher education in the U.S., getting ready for auditions for my dance programs. I plan to become a commercial dancer who will share the stage with wonderful and hardworking people like Sabrina herself, reaching higher every day. Her art and discography have given me the confidence to go for it, the feminine energy to enjoy myself in this challenging and precise process, and the motivation to never give up. And now, with all that, who knows — maybe someday I’ll become an inspiration for other young girls around the world, just as Sabrina was, and still is, for me.

I've always been the artistic one. From the early days of my childhood, I've been raised as a kid who loves to express themselves through something they can change or create. My parents kept an eye on the other children's paths and decided not to force me into any kind of activity until it was my own deliberate decision to dive deep into the field I've chosen myself. Instead, my mom, as a poet, and my dad, as a traditional artist, have come to the decision to show me the world of art and creativity. That’s when I started trying every artistic opportunity they gave me: I've attended art school, all sorts of experimental science and handcraft classes, language courses, singing lessons, and much more. This experience has turned me into a versatile young lady, who loved everything related to art and culture and continued to learn more about her abilities during her teenage years. That’s when my true passion came to life.  In the summer of 2021, being a 14-year-old teenage girl, I first tried going to the dancehall, simply learning the choreography I liked. Since then, I've been practicing several times a week for over 4 years, and on the days I couldn't, I did at home. It all started with commercial style, then went to jazz, street styles, contemporary, classical, and more. Later on, I started coming up with choreography ideas myself. As time passed, I switched different dance studios. The more I danced, the more I realized how much that meant to me, how accurately the movements could capture my feelings. This made me sincerely consider dancing as my potential career, despite all the hardships. But is that possible? There's a strong belief, especially in my home country, Russia, that a person can’t become a professional dancer in multiple styles, or without sacrificing their childhood to choreography classes. I've been told this idea again and again, any time I was hoping to hear any word of support, even from those who admired my dance abilities. So, what now? Do I just... stop? Well, not at all. When I first found my true passion in language of movements, I've decided that there's no way I can quit. People around me, besides the closest ones, were continuously trying to stop me from being me: from developing my skill step-by-step in every dance style I truly love; and from believing that iron will can break the walls of hesitation and anxiety of stepping on the stones of an artist's journey. So, what did I do? I proved everyone wrong. I won in the International Choreographic Competition "Triumph of Victories" two years in a row. I competed on a vast stage among strong performers. I accomplished the defense of my final high school research project called "Mixing Styles in Dance", which was an in-depth study about mixing dance genres and learning the history of their creation. I attended multiple master classes from professionals. I started taking individual lessons from a soloist ballerina of the Ural Opera and Ballet Theatre. I organized plenty of solo dance school performances. And I continue to challenge this common belief and my own fears every single day. And now, here I am, writing this essay and marking the beginning point of my journey of transitioning from a self-taught dancer to a professional one. My dream is to show other artistic people — and especially little girls like me — that sometimes breaking the stereotypes and questioning popular beliefs is not something to be afraid of but, instead, something that can help you feel like... You.

I believe that art is a mirror of the soul. As an artist working across multiple fields and mediums, I think a single piece can exist in more than one form. That’s why my favorite work is a synthesis of visual and performing arts: a digital drawing, a music recording, and choreography, all connected through the same idea—love. This project grew out of my own biography, created throughout the process of falling in love with my now fiancé. The first part that saw the light, a digital painting: a woman and a man in each other’s arms against a cloudy sea. A gusty wind rushes through their hair, marking the beginning of something dark. You feel the tension. To me, this image symbolizes the endless flow of thoughts when falling in love, the desire to be together and the effort it takes to achieve that. The second part, a song I wrote and performed, called “Addiction.” The lyrics came before the melody: "When he holds my bag, I hold my breath" Set to upbeat pop with guitar, drums, and a touch of sadness, it became a piece I would listen to myself. Finally, the choreographic piece, “Porcelain Heart,” is a demi-classical pointe dance. I sought to communicate with the audience not only through movement, but also through appearance: the all-white costume had painted cracks, symbolizing brokenness longing to be healed by love. Together, these works form my most cherished creation — an art series where love itself is the medium.

This season of Love Island has been full of drama, tension, emotional outbursts and even betrayals — everything that keeps fans hooked and wanting more. But what if there were one more episode that flipped the script? A challenge designed not to stir up scandals, but to bring out the softer, more vulnerable sides of our islanders. “Out of the Mouths of Babes”: In this challenge, contestants face off with the child versions of their fellow islanders. The twist? They can’t see who they’re talking to — they have to rely on knowledge of their companions, emotions, and memory. No hot topics, no drama, just pure nostalgia and a chance to connect in a whole new way. Here’s how it works: Islanders are separated and go into the room one by one. Boys visit girls, girls visit boys, but only one person is visible in each pairing. After every round, the roles switch. With four rounds in total, everyone gets a chance to play both sides twice, with different partners. The setup is simple: In Rounds 1–2, pairs are chosen at random; in Rounds 3–4, they’re matched based on past connections. The goal? To guess who their “kid version” partner is while staying genuine and open-hearted. The most successful islanders are the ones who not only guess correctly, but also show honesty, vulnerability, and childlike truth in their answers. Any over-polished, adult-style replies are a red flag. This challenge is about stripping away the fierce exteriors, breaking down the polished walls, and reminding everyone what pureness looks like in the middle of this hot, messy villa. Because before you can find true love, you’ve got to rediscover the most authentic version of yourself.