1984. The book that challenged the very idea of reading and its impact on our mindsets. It presented an intriguing view on how the world may be if we stopped thinking for ourselves. One of the key aspects that makes it so influential was the censoring of books. This is a tactic that’s been utilized throughout history to essentially rewrite history through censorship. I believe that we must consider all possible futures in order to ensure that it’ll be better. In 1984, it is a very serious crime to “doublethink”, which plays an instrumental role in our modern, daily life. Without differences of thoughts (and therefore opinions), we would have no variety and practically be blank slates. Our modern life encourages creative thought, which is a value I hold dear. The presence of creative thought quite literally shaped our world, as without it, entrepreneurs and innovators would not exist. Another major aspect of the book is the omnipresent Big Brother, who is constantly monitoring his citizens. His power is largely through fear, as he’s imagined to be much more threatening than he truly is. Fear of persecution (and ostracism) causes all of the 1984 residents to lead a censored lifestyle, as well as encouraging a widespread distrust among the community. I believe that if everyone was able to read this book, in their respective language of course, they would be able to spot propaganda more easily, think more creatively, and recognize the vast importance that books play in our world.

The best present I’ve ever gotten was a clock. It still hangs in my room; a proud reminder of who I am. This clock isn’t elaborate or expensive, in fact it’s incredibly plain at first glance. However, it takes an extra moment to decipher the time, making it all the more special. Each number (1-12) is defined as an equation. Although a simple idea, it encapsulates my outlook on education entirely. Throughout my life, I’ve always pushed myself to do mundane, easy things the hard way. At 18 months old, I wrote my name in crayon. When I grew tired of being read to about ducks and ponds, I opted for Iliad Homer…at 3 years old. I’ve always been this way, as long as I can remember. Although it makes me different, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have an insatiable curiosity and feel the need to challenge myself at every chance I get. I finished AP Stats, Calculus AB, BC, and a college neuroscience course before I could even get my driver’s license. It’s hard to pinpoint a moment when this intelectual hunger started, as it feels I’ve had it my whole life. It’s not simply “intelligence”, but rather the need to consistently know more. I believe that this ability goes beyond IQ. In fact, I’d never seen my IQ results before my senior year. One of my goals in life is to consistently be learning, whether this be numerical or experiential. My Jewish identity also plays a part in my passion. I was a madrichim for a few years at a Sunday school, which led me to believe I wanted to be a professor. But at that time, I had no idea what field I wanted to go into. So, throughout high school, I took as many new and different courses as possible to narrow down my interests. Although I love math (and want to pursue a minor in statistics), it’s not the only subject that I’m passionate about. I also love the ever-changing world of neuroscience. I hope to be a pioneer in the field and publish scientific findings that change the world for the better. Currently, I’m working on two studies which have the potential to benefit those with learning disabilities. I have an amazing mentor who caters to my curiosity, no matter how many questions I ask. He is one of my biggest inspirations as he encouraged me to take neuroscience classes to develop my fundamentals. My experience in these classes has only furthered my passion towards STEM and cemented my dream of being a lifelong learner.

The best present I’ve ever gotten was a clock. It still hangs in my room; a proud reminder of who I am. This clock isn’t elaborate or expensive, in fact it’s incredibly plain at first glance. However, it takes an extra moment to decipher the time, making it all the more special. Each number (1-12) is defined as an equation. Although a simple idea, it encapsulates my outlook on education entirely. Throughout my life, I’ve always pushed myself to do mundane, easy things the hard way. At 18 months old, I wrote my name in crayon. When I grew tired of reading about ducks and ponds, I opted for Uncle Tom…in third grade. I’ve always been this way, as long as I can remember. Although it makes me different, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have an insatiable curiosity and feel the need to challenge myself at every chance I get. I finished AP Stats, Calculus AB, BC, and a college neuroscience course before I could even get my driver’s license. Although I love math (and want to pursue a minor in statistics), it’s not the only subject that I’m passionate about. I also love to learn languages, such as Spanish and French, then challenge myself with completely different alphabets, such as those of Korean, Greek, and Hebrew. I hope to one day travel the world and continue learning about different cultures, traditions, and history! I am also infatuated with neuroscience, as it’s a field that is constantly changing. I hope to be a pioneer in the world of neuroscience and publish scientific findings that change the world for the better. Currently, I’m working on two studies which have the potential to benefit those with learning disabilities. I have an amazing mentor who caters to my curiosity, no matter how many questions I ask. It’s hard to pinpoint a moment when this intelectual hunger started, as it feels I’ve had it my whole life. It’s not simply “intelligence”, but rather the need to consistently know more. I believe that this ability goes beyond IQ. In fact, I’d never seen my IQ results before my senior year. One of my life goals is to always be learning, whether this be numerical or experiential. I also hope to one day be an educator in the field of neuroscience, with an emphasis on the importance of intelectual curiosity, a life skill that will help people even outside of school.