I gaze at the ocean, watching my father attempt to catch fish with his version of a fishing net. Hip-deep in shallow water, he held what I would call an “impractical” net: three metal rods forming a triangular shape, and a net with rather large holes filling the space between. There was a string attached to the middle of the net, connected to nothing. How does the net retract? How was it built? How should it be stored? How are the metal rods connected? I approached my father and suggested that we replace his fishing net with a thicker net with smaller holes that can withstand the shallow, strong water. I fashioned handles out of sturdy rope to make the net easier to hold and control. In small instances like these, my curiosity always got the best of me. Ever since I was a small child, I would pester my parents, brother, and even peers with my questions. With a passion for understanding how things are made and work, I take every chance to investigate the mechanisms of anything I got my hands on - automobiles or fishing nets. I like taking things apart, putting them together, and taking them apart again. I'll continue to explore the various concepts of engineering by asking as many questions as I can- to my family members, the internet, or actual engineers. In school, I regularly heard, “Curiosity killed the cat.” I glance over at my family’s car, or my father’s net, and remember that this intense curiosity and desire for innovation is part of what made me stand out from others in school. To my teachers, I was driven and disciplined. To my friends, I was a nerd. To me, I was curious. Yes, curiosity killed the cat. But satisfaction brought it back.

I gaze at the ocean, watching my father attempt to catch fish with his version of a fishing net. Hip-deep in shallow water, he held what I called an “impractical” net: three metal rods forming a triangular shape, and a net with rather large holes filling the space between. There was a string attached to the middle of the net, connected to nothing. How does the net retract? How should it be stored? How are the metal rods connected? I approached my father and suggested that we replace his fishing net with a thicker net with smaller holes that can withstand the shallow, strong water. I fashioned handles out of sturdy rope to make the net easier to hold and control. In small instances like these, my curiosity always got the best of me. Ever since I was a small child, I would pester my parents, brother, and even peers with my questions. With a passion for understanding how things are made and work, I take every chance to investigate the mechanisms of anything I got my hands on - automobiles or fishing nets. I like taking things apart, putting them together, and taking them apart again. In school, I regularly heard, “Curiosity killed the cat.” I glance over at my family’s car, or my father’s net, and remember that this intense curiosity and desire for innovation is part of what made me stand out from others in school- and it's also what I love about myself. To my teachers, I was driven and disciplined. To my friends, I was a nerd. To me, I was curious. Yes, curiosity killed the cat. But satisfaction brought it back.

I have more than 290 hours of community service under my belt, which shows my heartfelt drive to do everything I can to serve my neighborhood. I continue to serve others even without the promise of being able to “add more hours” to my community service resume. For example, I often serve as a full-time translator for several of my family members and sometimes tutor for free. To me, civic engagement means to exert all of your individual efforts to better your community, which is another reason why I am pursuing a career in engineering. I’d love to be the reason for improvement, or contribute to an overall drive for development. I've seen my intense passion for community service make a visible impact in my local community. I see that I've inspired others to participate in bettering the community, such as park cleanups. I've noticed that the park walkways are cleaner- though that may just be the placebo effect. Even then, I'd love to think that I am making a difference.

I have more than 290 hours of community service under my belt, which shows my heartfelt drive to do everything I can to serve my neighborhood. I continue to serve others even without the promise of being able to “add more hours” to my community service resume. For example, I often serve as a full-time translator for several of my family members and sometimes tutor for free. To me, civic engagement means to exert all of your individual efforts to better your community, which is another reason why I am pursuing a career in engineering. I’d love to be the reason for improvement, or contribute to an overall drive for development. I've seen my intense passion for community service make a visible impact in my local community. I see that I've inspired others to participate in bettering the community, such as park cleanups. I've noticed that the park walkways are cleaner- though that may just be the placebo effect. Even then, I'd love to think that I am making a difference.

I placed some biryani on the table. “Nusrat, won’t you eat?” my uncle asked. “No, I have to help Somaia with her schoolwork," I replied. I usually ate later anyways, with all the women, who only ate after the men were done. I walked away, knowing that I had to find time to complete a research paper by morning. Cultural sexism is prominent in South Asian culture, as most people in the older generations view women as property instead of people with achievements and aspirations. It was as if being a woman invalidated all of my successes, and I was left to solve problems on my own with very little support. It stung that almost all concerns were always endured by the women in my family. I felt jealous that the only thing my male cousins were responsible for was schoolwork, but I had to shoulder academics while also caring for children and fulfilling the “elder sister” role. I studied for AP Exams and NYS Regents while cooking, cleaning, or with a child sitting in my lap. I would do homework in my head while at family dinners, and then I would go home, write it all down, and submit it online. This extra load of responsibility taught me skills such as time management and discipline. I always believed that I was more than just a caregiver. Through sheer dedication and rigor, I continued to pursue my academics. I spent most of my time with my family, and spent any free time studying. My work ethic was enhanced tremendously. Unfortunately, I still struggle with cultural sexism today. Most of my elders view my achievements as worthless because I’m a woman. I remember I was always dismissed in conversations. I knew that I would never receive praise from my family for making the honor roll or winning scholarships, but I refused to let my hardships discourage me from chasing success. I frequently stayed back after school for office hours, community service, and attended local school art shows to support my peers, despite my parents wanting me home earlier. Years later, my younger cousins still come to me with their worries. Whether it be in regards to academia, friendships, or even their crushes, I try my best to help them navigate the problem and find a silver lining. During the pandemic, I realized the importance of maintaining close relationships with family. I once felt disdain at even the thought of having to spend time with family, but now it brings me joy. From time to time, I even forgo meeting up with friends in favor of listening to the endless and incomprehensible rambling of my baby cousins. My hardships have taught me to find the benefits of every situation. Given my circumstances, my silver lining is that I derived honor from being a role model, caliber from responsibility, and a phenomenal work ethic from cultural sexism. I now view my hardships as a blessing, and not a curse.

1. I am specifically motivated by hardship. If I could do anything with my life, I'd choose to pick a woman from history to converse with- even if it's for just an hour. I’d wholeheartedly pick Edith Clark, the first female engineer. Edith Clark obtained her Master’s in Electrical Engineering in 1919, but struggled to find work as an engineer since she was a woman. She struggled with the wage gap, societal pressure to find work that was “more suitable” for her gender, along with many other things. I wonder what, in particular, drove Edith Clark to keep pursuing electrical engineering despite facing so many obstacles. How is it possible for someone to choose their passion over prosperity? As someone who has had to forgo countless hours of passion habits in order to help put food on the table, I’m awestruck with Clark’s rigor and drive to handle both her interests and her survival. I’d also ask Clark to elaborate on her early experiences as an electrical engineer constantly battling society’s expectations of women. My South Asian culture, unfortunately, still holds ideals similar to old-fashioned ones. I'm constantly told that my job was to nurture the children in the family. Although I have since found ways to overcome these harsh words, they still ring in my ears. I’d love to converse with Edith Clark about her experience facing sexism and misogyny from society, as well as other men in the engineering profession. 2. I gaze at the ocean, watching my father attempt to catch fish with his version of a fishing net. Hip-deep in shallow water, he held what I would call an “impractical” net: three metal rods forming a triangular shape, and a net with rather large holes filling the space between. There was a string attached to the middle of the net, connected to nothing. How does the net retract? How was it built? How are the metal rods connected? I approached my father and suggested that we replace his fishing net with a thicker net with smaller holes that can withstand the shallow, strong water. I fashioned handles out of sturdy rope to make the net easier to hold and control. In small instances like these, my curiosity always got the best of me. Ever since I was a small child, I would pester my parents, brother, and even peers with my questions. With a passion for understanding how things are made and work, I took every chance to explore engineering. I investigated the mechanisms of anything I could get my hands on - automobiles, buildings, and even fishing nets. Engineering especially sparks my interest because I love knowing how things precisely work. I like taking them apart, putting them together, and taking them apart again. I seize every opportunity to learn something new. I want to continue to explore the various concepts of engineering by asking as many questions as I can- to my family members, the internet, or actual engineers. I want to make every effort to learn. 3. I placed some biryani on the table. “Nusrat, won’t you eat?” my uncle asked. “No, I have to help Somaia with her schoolwork," I replied. I usually ate later anyways, with all the women, who only ate after the men were done. I walked away, knowing that I had to find time to complete a research paper by morning. Cultural sexism is prominent in South Asian culture, as most people in the older generations view women as property instead of people with achievements and aspirations. It was as if being a woman invalidated all of my successes, and I was left to solve problems on my own with very little support. It stung that almost all concerns were always endured by the women in my family. I felt jealous that the only thing my male cousins were responsible for was schoolwork, but I had to shoulder academics while also caring for children and fulfilling the “elder sister” role. I studied for AP Exams and NYS Regents while cooking, cleaning, or with a child sitting in my lap. I would do homework in my head while at family dinners, and then I would go home, write it all down, and submit it online. This extra load of responsibility taught me skills such as time management and discipline. I always believed that I was more than just a caregiver. Through sheer dedication and rigor, I continued to pursue my academics. I spent most of my time with my family, and spent any free time studying. My work ethic was enhanced tremendously. Unfortunately, I still struggle with cultural sexism today. Most of my elders view my achievements as worthless because I’m a woman. I remember I was always dismissed in conversations. I knew that I would never receive praise from my family for making the honor roll or winning scholarships, but I refused to let my hardships discourage me from chasing success. I frequently stayed back after school for office hours, community service, and attended local school art shows to support my peers, despite my parents wanting me home earlier. Years later, my younger cousins still come to me with their worries. Whether it be in regards to academia, friendships, or even their crushes, I try my best to help them navigate the problem and find a silver lining. During the pandemic, I realized the importance of maintaining close relationships with family. I once felt disdain at even the thought of having to spend time with family, but now it brings me joy. From time to time, I even forgo meeting up with friends in favor of listening to the endless and incomprehensible rambling of my baby cousins. My hardships have taught me to find the benefits of every situation. Given my circumstances, my silver lining is that I derived honor from being a role model, caliber from responsibility, and a phenomenal work ethic from cultural sexism. I now view my hardships as a blessing, and not a curse.