Written Answers

I began martial arts reluctantly as a 10 year old.  I was scared of trying something new and felt out of place at first.  The thing that kept me coming back was my instructor who simply made the classes fun.  I soon realized that this was something I

My mother was born in Yerevan, Armenia; my family’s homeland for centuries. My grandparents were denied that opportunity when their parents had to escape their native country due to the 1915 massacres that were being committed against the Armenian po

It was the morning of January 15^th, 2011, an ordinary Saturday until I got the call, the call that would change my world forever. The call that would shake the very foundation of my upbringing and leave me numb beyond belief. It was my mother, and be

In 2004, my grandfather underwent a successful quadruple bypass surgery, which cleared four blocked arteries in his heart. He is alive and well today due to the science of medicine. Many people would thank God for sparing his life; I thank science. M

Is failing to help people the same as hurting them? Is letting people die the same as killing them? Six million children die of hunger every year.  With all the money spent in America on frivolous items like designer handbags or luxury cars, I don’t

Ever since I was young, my parents tried teaching me the morals of life. These vague lessons consisted of ones such as "how to be a good person". However, I never understood those lessons because they were never put to use until my mom brought

Getting hurt by someone you love can tear you apart. The trust is broken, the life altered, the body left emotionless. The connection that was once a mutual feeling becomes a mere figment of the past. The love that was there just diminishes away and

Everyday people, including me are overwhelmed with upcoming exams, papers to write, payments, projects, and many more. The list seems to be endless. There are always new responsibilities being introduced once an old responsibility has been taken care

7’o clock in the morning, I wake up and start getting ready to go to school for the lecture that starts at 9.  Because I am a commuter who lives in Korean town, which is about 15 miles away from UCLA, I have to wake up earlier than others, just to ca

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to fly.

I’ve never done drugs. Nearly all my friends are Asian. Spontaneous is one of the last words I would use to describe myself. Growing up in a traditional Chinese family isn’t exactly what you would cal

I hate kids, but I love them more; if that makes sense. There’s something about them that makes you let out an exasperated sigh and roll your eyes. Like when they refuse to take a nap during nap time and instead go obnoxiously wake the other kids. Or

Afghanistan in the early 1980s was a violent and dangerous place that was no longer safe for a divorced woman and her two young daughters, especially when the children are American citizens in a period when the Soviet controlled government was target

"Don't cry! No one in our family is allowed to cry!" My Dad yelled at me over the phone. And tears started steaming down my face like crazy again.

For the first time in my life, I felt so weak and helpless and I was really mad at myself to have such f

I’ve always wanted to assist people in times of crisis (think law enforcement, EMT’s, fire fighters) in my younger years. That feeling never went away but was subdued after a while due to a teenage life of socializing and other interests per MTV’s in

This question "why do you do what you do?" was answered for me when I took the initiative, at the age of fourteen, to simultaneously take college courses while still in junior high. Everything was set and that was to pursue a job as an attorney. By t

To be honest, I don’t know what I do. I’m still figuring it out. The fact that this isn’t anonymous makes this post a little less candid and specific, but I’m going to try.

Put shortly, I’m a second year who is behind on his unit count, but still plan

Keep it classy. One, two, three...cheese! If I was able to, I wish I could capture every moment of my life. The lovely people I’m with, the reasons why I smile, the reasons why I cry, and all the happy moments with my family. One thing I can definite

Why do I do what I do? A bunch of reasons come to mind. But the SparkNotes version of it all is that the things I do are really a result of self-interest and family influence. I was born and raised in Qingdao, Shandong, China. Coming from a family in

There’s a box on my desk at UCLA devoted to him. Rectangular and plastic, it contains the heart-felt letters he’s written to me, a Hello Kitty watch from a McDonalds happy meal that he drove miles to buy me, a list of his favorite quotes for inspirat