The Sprained Ankle

54. Discuss how some negative experience (disability, illness, failure) has had a positive influence on your life.

Just last week, I hurt myself playing basketball down at Hostel, the dormitory where I live. I was playing against a couple of friends of mine, and tried to take the shot, and landed on my ankle. Though I hurt myself while playing, I had made the shot. It was an amazing moment. I felt relieved and felt back on the game. I hurt myself so badly that I thought it was a broken ankle. I went to the Health Center the next day, to be taken to the local hospital in Mussoorie, Landor Community Hospital, to have a cast put on. I was told that it was a third degree sprain, and that there was no need to worry because nothing was broken. My ankle felt fine, and I was walking on the injured leg. But after keeping that on for a day, my toes were starting to bruise up. I went to the hospital to get the cast taken off and my leg checked. I ended up feeling disgusted by what I saw. My leg, right above my ankle, had started to bleed from the inside. I didn’t know what was happening, and the doctor just explained that the cast was on too tight. No duh! It was his fault that my leg was like this and he was trying to console me by stating his mistake in the diagnosis? I didn’t even understand why he put a cast on an ankle which was swollen up. Nothing was broken clearly, so I didn’t see the point. But him being a doctor, and me being a 17 year-old, I had to hand over the certificate of knowledge to him.

Even sitting here like this now, I can imagine the days that went by after I got the cast on. I didn’t understand how to go about my daily routines. I didn’t know how I was supposed to shower, I didn’t know how to use the crutches with hurting my underarms or my legs, and I didn’t know how to feel happy about the fact that I had hurt my leg; the one thing I thought was the strongest part of my body. This year has been a really bad year of health for me. I sprained my ankle really badly; two discs in my spine slipped out from over exercising at home, I got sick for a week or so, and had a cold for what seemed like all of monsoon. I am usually someone who doesn’t get sick very often. I take pride in my health. I feel like one of the few people I know who doesn’t get sick on a regular basis. For his reason, I seem to take advantage of everything, especially my body. That’s a first: someone taking advantage of their own body, rather than someone taking advantage of it. Anyways, back to the topic. I would wear a thin quarter sleeved shirt to school in the month of November. I would open the windows and sleep at night; I usually feel very claustrophobic at night. I take shower with cold water after playing sports, even in the winter. I over exert my body and try out different exercises at home to make up for all the times I didn’t work out at school. I try to do all kinds of different things which test the limit of my body. It really shocks me to know that this is the first time that I have every injured my body in a physical way. Until now, I have only gotten sick. I have never broken a bone, I have never cracked my skull open, I have never tore a muscle; I have felt like Mr. Invincible. But this year has shown me that I’m human and that I need to take care of myself.

I’m usually someone who goes out of his way to prove to himself that he is capable of doing anything and everything under the sun. Though I may not be adrenaline junkies or the extreme sports kind of guy, I definitely am someone who tries to push his limit. This year, I have been able to prove to myself, not intentionally, that I am a human being. I am capable of getting hurt and I am capable of feeling hopeless. This experience has definitely taught me a lot. I was so interested in looking like the best person I can be, by exercising so much that I hurt my back. I would run 12 km in the morning, and 12 kilometers in the evening. Many people don’t see me exercise in school, and that’s because I don’t. I do everything I need to at home. I don’t eat much at home, and drink a lot of green tea. Many of you may sit here reading this, thinking that wow, this guy is so self-absorbed. The only thing he cares about is how good he looks in those pair of jeans and how slim he is. And yes, that did matter to me … a lot. I was obsessed about looking good. But after hurting my back, and my ankle playing an innocent game of basketball, I have come to realize that there is no point in doing all of that, if in the end, it could potentially make me paralyzed. I no longer think that my legs and my back are as strong as I used to think they were, I have tried to be careful with everything I have done after getting the cast off. Though I don’t really listen to the nurses and wear a crepe bandage around my ankle, I have definitely learned to be very careful with the things I play and the way I play it. I would never think about becoming paralyzed because I was doing something as stupid as running 24 km a day. I’ve come to realize that that was completely insane. Never again will I ever push myself to that extent.

Yes, all of us believe that we are invincible at some point or other in our lives, but this “negative experience” or “disability” has shown me that I am important to myself. This experience has shown me that I need to be careful with myself and that there is going to be no one who is going to tell me how I just act and what I should and should not do. I am old enough to realize all of this myself. Yes, there are going to be times when the little child in me comes out, and I want to do the craziest things under the sun, but this sprained ankle has shown me that I need to be careful if I want to live a long life. It has taught me that I am not invincible and that I need to be able to control myself and my desires.


Number of words: 1167

The Generation Gap

87. Do you believe there's a generation gap? Describe the differences between your generation and others. (Denison University)

Today’s generation gap is the one thing that is making children move away from their parents. Children do not like to be ordered about what to do, or be interrogated about their personal life. The society in our parent’s time was much slower than the one today, and this has caused us to adapt to the fast growing society. Before, things which were considered luxuries are today considered necessities like iPods, phones and laptops. We, the newer generation, do not take much time to take decisions as our parents took things slower. The respect factor between most children and their parents has gone, as children want things and parents try to show that they care about their child through buying them the latest things with guilt. This has caused a huge gap between children and their parents and this is what the parents and kids refer to as “generation gap.” Due to this generation gap, we feel that our parents do not understand us. Our parents have had to come up through the ranks while everything is served out to us on a platter. We do not find reason to work as hard as our parents as we are used to them giving everything to us. This is the reason that we are perceived as the spoilt ones, and the ones who do not know what life is all about. The generation gap has become so big that teenager’s think that they can do better off than their parents if they put half the amount of hard work as their parents did when they were kids. Parents today are forced to trust their kids since their kids can do what they want and the parent does not have much control over them. This causes kids to whatever they want, like drink alcohol or smoke. Many families stop having dinners on the table together and either let the kids have it in their room or go outside with friends. These all reasons cause problems in families when the parents do not have control over their kids. Both of them start fighting and the situation becomes worse.

My parents have always told me that my jeans look better if I wear them higher, or if I comb my hair. I tend to disagree with them when it comes to such things. They don’t like to believe that technology is a good thing, but that it is only a distraction. I believe that the cause for this is the age difference or the generation gap. Today, teenagers keep up with the latest trends and technological devices, while older people think that technology is spoiling us, and that we are getting too distracted with all the gadgets we have. My dad used to tell me about the times when he was younger, and there were no gadgets which a kid could have, and how it has changed today, as kids have everything they want; from laptops to phones from a very early age. This clearly is a big difference compared to when my dad and mom were kids. Parents hate to believe that things have gotten much more expensive compared to the past and argue with their children saying that it should be much cheaper. They hate to believe that a T-Shirt could cost Rs.1200 and then they tell us that in their times it only cost Rs.20. What they tend to not realize is that we are not in their time anymore but our time. Things have changed so much that it is unfathomable. Who would think that there would be so much change like iPods and the capacity to put songs, movies and pictures? We don’t mind watching movies on that small screen but out parents think it is stupid and that they would rather watch on a much larger screen. They are not willing to realize that, things have changed a lot and that people have changed a lot too.

                Due to the change in trends which is taking place constantly, it is difficult to keep up with what is the “latest” thing. Parents think that it’s dumber while we think it is cooler. Our parents did not have cell phones at the age of 12, but now many young children have phones. They text each other and keep in touch with friends who only live a block away from them. Parents think that it’s stupid to be texting all the time, while the kids think that it’s good to keep in touch with friends. Kids always want something or the other because there is always a change. We want the latest iPhone, the latest computer and the latest iPod even if we already have an iPhone. Many kids today have both iPods and iPhones which is ridiculous because the phone has everything the iPod does, but I too sadly am a culprit of this. We have the feeling that we need it for some unknown reason. It’s like we want our satisfaction for these products to increase, but the thing that we, teens, do not seem to realize is that our marginal benefit of each extra product we buy, is going down.  We do not want to believe this but it is the case. By doing this we have caused a gap between our thinking and our parents thinking which helps form what is known as a generation gap. We have made too big a gap and it will not be easy to close it since people have become very independent when it comes to what we want in our lives. When it comes to making a decision, we turn to our friends rather than to our parents while our parents would do the opposite. That respect which was there is gone, and it has helped us create a big ego when it comes to taking a stand. Our arrogance has changed families which were happy, into families which are trying to survive.


Number of Words: 1011

Hell Is People

32. Sartre said “Hell is other people,” while Streisand sang, “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” With whom do you agree? (Amherst)




My blogs are meant to be about the people or events that influence me in my life. This question strikes me as particularly interesting that the whole human population, especially those that I have come into contact with, have influenced me in my encounters with them to agree with Sartre and say that "Hell is other people." 


We can always dream of a utopian system and society, but we all know that there is no such thing as one. There are so many different types of conflicts going around the world that it is difficult to keep track of them. Let's take two examples that have recently struck my attention. I recently watched our spring play "Around The World in 80 Days," where a woman was forced into a sacrificial ceremony called a sati. This is when a wife is sacrificed along with her husband when he dies. It's supposed to be a good thing so that the man and wife can be together for eternity. Though this sacrifice is one that is voluntary, the play showed one woman being forced into the act by a group of saddus, or Hindu priests. She was yelling and screaming, begging them not to sacrifice her, but no one listening. The protagonist of the play, heard this, and attempted to save her, but his servant was ahead of him, and saved her himself. The second example, I give you is about a man named Joseph Kony. You all must have heard about him and his horrible deeds, but if you haven't, here is the sneak peak. His rebel in Sudan, who is trying to overthrow the government of the country. He is the leader of the militant group and has "recruited" child soldiers into working for him as his militants. What is so cruel about him, is that he abducts these children late at night from his families and takes them into his own custody, justifying that he will be able to give them a better life than the children's peasant parents. He brainwashes these children into massacring thousands of people, forcing them to kill their own parents. The boys are used as soldiers in his army, and the girls are used as sex slaves for the older soldiers in his militant group. 


These two examples can clearly give you an idea that "hell is other people," but if you don't believe me, take a look around yourselves. Ask yourselves whether you've ever been talked about behind your back, whether you've been left alone or ditched, or whether you've been hurt by a group of friends? I'm sure all of you sitting here reading this can nod your head at least once and relate with the idea that there are people out there who have hurt you, betrayed you, or disappointed you. There isn't many people that you can rely on because people always think about themselves first. The survival of the fittest clearly show us that this is true. Nature and evolution has clearly shown us that the organism that is more fit to survive in the ever-changing world will be more dominant and be more likely to make offspring than the weaker one. 


We seem to have grown up in a world where we've learnt to need people. Yes, you can say that we want them. We want companionship, we want friendship, and we need love, but more than this, it can be shown that we need companionship, friendship, and love to feel part of the world today. We need others to feel "alive" and we need others to feel a sense of security. Hell is only made other people with the idea that we need them in the our lives. The more importance we give to them, the more the things they do and say affect us. So, in fact, hell is other people, but only because we make them so important. 


Number of Words: 652

The Best Conversation

29. Tell us about a conversation you’ve had that changed your perspective or was otherwise meaningful to you. (Stanford)




Both my grandfathers passed away before I was born. I never knew them, just of them. I would hear stories about their humility and their willingness to give back. When I was a little boy, I would always dream of getting to know them. I would always try to be like the stories about them. I was adventurous and as a little boy and tried to discover things on my own. I was told that my maternal grandfather had a knack of inventing things, and fixing things on their own. As a young man, he was always interested in taking things apart and putting them back together. He always wanted to be in control and wanted to be sure of everything he knew about. Whereas, my paternal grandfather was a man of logic. He was good at everything that he could put to a logical test. He wasn't very much interested in the idea of the fine arts, except when it came listening to his classical music. He always wanted to come up with some valid explanation for things that couldn't be explained. He always believed that things could be explained, and if it couldn't, we hadn't been able to find the right answer yet.


I remember the day when I asked my parents about my grandfathers. I was so used to being around my uncles and my father's friends, that I never felt a sense of loss of my grandfathers. I didn't think about it much until I saw my friends' grandfathers. I never understood why I didn't see them around, but I never ever managed to ask my parents where they were, because honestly, I never felt the need to. But before arriving at Woodstock, I faced my own questions, and demanded an answer from my parents. I was a stubborn child, and I believed that my parents were keeping me in the dark about this matter, and so, I threw a tantrum and demanded they tell me everything. I thought I was big enough to handle everything they had to tell me.


I was already in the second grade before going to Woodstock - I arrived second semester at my new school - and I felt that I had known enough about death to ask my parents such a controversial question at such a young age. I knew that death was when people are called by God to go to heaven and stay with him. As you can all see, I was a very naive child. But I still believed that I knew enough to face the reality of what death actually is, besides the fact that God has called you to stay with him. It was a sunny day in Hyderabad, and I was just starting to adjust to the summer heat of the Deccan Plateau. My parents were taking me out to buy my first toys and clothes in India. You see, I had just arrived from the States a couple of weeks ago to start getting prepared to study at Woodstock. So, to do my back-to-school shopping, my parents took me to the nicest mall in Hyderabad. They told me that I could choose whatever I wanted because they wanted me to be happy and not lack anything while I was at Woodstock. But now that I think about it, I think they just felt guilty that they were sending me off to boarding school at such an young age. 


So, I entered the air-conditioned mall with my hopes up high, and the first place I entered Archies store to buy that huge yellow teddy bear I set my eyes on. I entered the store and I saw a little girl looking at the same toy. There was an old man standing next to her, telling her that she can buy whatever she wants. The girl picked up the bear that I wanted and walked away with it. I turned to my parents and told them that someone had stolen my bear. But, in fact, all she did was take the same thing I wanted, and paid for it. My parents told me that I could buy the same one and I told them I didn't want the same one. We looked around the whole store and tried to find one similar to the bear the girl took. We looked everywhere but nothing was as good. Frustrated, I told my parents that I wanted that old man instead of them as my parents. I didn't know that my words would have such an effect on my mother.


She looked at her husband and broke down in tears. I ran to my mother and hugged her. I told her I was sorry and that I was angry and didn't mean what I said. She told me that it wasn't what I said but the fact that I did have someone like that I never got to meet. We went back home after that incident, emptied handed. 


In the car, my mother told me about my two grandfathers and how excited they were to know that there would a boy in the family. Someone they would talk to, someone they could share their hobbies with, and someone they could buy teddy bears for. I didn't understand what was so upsetting and where they were. I asked my mom what had happened to them, and all they she said was that they were looking at me right now. I looked around and saw no one. I didn't want to further that question, I though my mother was going crazy because she felt so bad. But it was me who was acting crazy looking around. It was only later that I realized that she meant my grandfathers were up in heaven looking down at me.


Just recently my parents had mentioned that I had the determination and drive my grandparents. I heard the story of how they came into the city with practically no money and became very successful with hard work. I was told that I have the knack of needing to know everything and about everything that I come into contact with. It makes me a very well-informed and composed person. 


This conversation just reminds me of the fact that even though I never knew my grandfathers, it is good to feel that they are still a part of me with my determination and drive. 


Number of Words: 1069

Post # 53

53. Discuss a significant experience or achievement that has influenced your life.

Just a couple of days ago, while talking to a friend, I was told that I have “mellowed down a lot.” I didn’t know what that quite meant, and instead of saying anything to him, I just nodded my head. I didn’t think much of it until one of my friends told reminded me of the first thing she saw me do when she arrived at Woodstock. She reminded me that she saw me pick up a guy from our grade, and throw him on the fence. I was a bit taken aback at first, as I hadn’t recalled this incident in a long time. She sat there describing it to me as I continued denying it. She told me that she was scared of me then because she saw me do that to a guy; she told me of how she was afraid to say hi to me even when I said hi to her. I started remembering then. I remember getting in trouble and being dorm gated until quarter break in the first semester of my 7^th grade. I was finally out of the “underdog” status as I wasn’t in 6^th grade, and then I was classified as a “bad boy” – well at least by that friend of mine. I remember being so angry about small things then, and I remember being agitated and always needing to do something about the anger that had bottled up inside me. I didn’t know how to get rid of it, so all I ever did was take it out on someone else.

That’s when it finally struck me. I had mellowed down, as that friend of mine said. I finally understood that I had stopped being rowdy and angry in a physical way, and I was really happy. Yes, of course, I’m a growing boy, and I will be rowdy at times, and I will get angry and will want to punch things, but it wasn’t like the way it used to be before. That experience with me pushing someone on the fence, clearly ended up reflecting in a positive way on me. I know that I will still get mad, and I know that I have gotten mad in that way after that incident, but I have always tried to control myself and stopped from harming someone else.

This is experience may be common and something minor to talk about to many of you, it has been one of the few significant experiences in my life that has changed me. I have become a calmer, more collected person after that incident. I have tried my level best to be kind and generous to everyone. Though that fails at times, and my human instincts get the best of me, I still try to be as good as I can possibly be. I have tried to be gentle and caring towards everything around me – be it animals or humans (if you think about it, they are pretty much the same thing). I used to think that being gentle and mellow was a power of weakness, but I have come to realize that it is only a question of strength. This shows how much control I have over my feelings, which makes me more powerful than the strongest person there is.

Number of Words: 560

Travel Experiences

56. Discuss how your travel experiences have affected you as a student and a citizen of the world.

A couple of hours ago, I went to watch our annual spring play. This year, the drama production decided to perform the comedy, Around the World in 80 Days. This play is about a man who gambles with people in his society who states that it is impossible to go around the world in 80 days. It was given in the newspaper, and everyone was saying that it was impossible to do such a thing. The man who stated that he would do it was bold and ambitious – for this reason, he had very few friends and was more or less isolated. A very punctual and articulated man would find it rather easy to go on such a journey but you all would be gladly surprised. This man faced many obstacles ranging from a typhoon to saving a woman from a sati, a Hindu sacrifice where a woman is burnt after the death of her husband. I found this play quite fascinating and had an overall thoughtful message. Though it was funny, it taught me something, and allowed me to also reflect on my travel experiences and how it shaped me as a person.

Travelling is one of those things that is never a waste of time or energy. You are always learning something new with every place you go. There is always the culture to experience, the language to learn, the food to eat, the sites to see, and so on. There is so much you can learn from different people and different places that you can never have nothing to do. There is too much to be done; it’s impossible for one to just sit around and sunbathe on the beach during a vacation.

As for me, I have always taken this idea to heart, and have tried to experience everything local in the countries that I have visited in the years. I have always tried to act like a local and experience everything with someone from around the place. After all, people who live in an area are the best tour guides.

I’ve studied in an international school all my life. My teachers have always taught us that learning about different cultures is a good thing and that you can only learn from meeting people from different places. I never understood that until I got to middle school. 6^th grade is a time where many new students arrive at Woodstock. It’s the beginning of a new school system – one moves from elementary school to middle school – and people want to start fresh rather than join in the middle of something that is already going on. I met a lot of people from different places that year. Though it is true that the school was mostly still filled with Indians and Koreans, people from different parts of India started coming. I got to know a lot about my country with the people I made friends with. Though I am an Indian by heart, I was born in the United States, and only arrived to India when I was six years old. I didn’t know much about India then, except that it was dirty and smelly, and not as nice as America. Clearly, my views have changed since then.

I came to acquire a lot of knowledge about Asia and other parts of the world, not only by education, but also by the school I attended, the friends I made, and the places I travelled. I have travelled so much that I have lost complete interest in the journey unlike the way I used to feel when I was younger, but I still haven’t lost the interest about learning of new cultures. I think that my travel experiences have somehow helped me adapt to the idea of an international boarding school. I was able to make friends easily with all types of people as I was always keen in learning about new things and had a deep respect for all cultures. I think my easiness to adapt to new things was because I travelled a lot, and for this, I am grateful – this made my time at Woodstock so much easier.


Number of words: 710

Kobe Bryant

78. If you could travel through time and interview any historical figure, whom would you choose, what would you ask, and why? (Hood)

For the past few years, I have been unable to play basketball the way I used to before. I was so passionate about it, I loved the court, and my mind was always on basketball. I couldn’t think about anything else but that. Now and for the past few years, I have been unable to feel that passion. I want to play competitively and as a hobby, but when I step on the court, I don’t find that passion that I used to have. I don’t know whether I’m motivated enough or not, but I do know that I need some kind of sign to show me that I have what it takes. There are so many people, my friends and my family, who say that I have what it takes, but I don’t find that within myself. It’s not that I think that I can’t do it; I don’t have the drive that I used to. So, if you ask me to interview a “historical” figure, I would be unable to give you one, as the one I do want to interview is not yet deceased. 

If I had the chance I would definitely interview Kobe Bryant. Though he may not necessarily have reached the “hall of all-time fame,” he definitely is one of the key contenders. He is one of the rising stars in the basketball world, and without a doubt, he may be one of the most amazing players out there today. I remember being a kid and watching him play in the NBA. I would only dream to be as good as him. Though he may not be Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan, he definitely has the power to be as amazing as them. He has the desire and the drive.

I wouldn’t like to interview him in present though. I would definitely want to go back a bit in time and interview him when he was just starting up as an NBA player. I would want to ask him how difficult things were to start off with, whether he ever lost his desire, how much work he put in, and what it actually takes to be as good as Kobe Bryant. Though I don’t want to play basketball professionally, I do want to regain that drive that I’ve always had. I guess high school’s work stress brought me a bit down, but I don’t want to lose something I love because I wasn’t able to manage my time well.

I want to do anything in my power to get back what I loved. I think having a chat with Kobe Bryant would be the best way to get it. I would choose Bryant above any other basketball player, because I started loving basketball and gaining a passion for the sport after I watched him play his matches in the NBA. He is my inspiration and my hero when it comes to this sport. I aspire to be as good as him … or close enough anyways. He was the one who made me love the sport with all the passion he puts in the game. If it’s anyone who can make me realize how great of a game basketball is, it’s got to be Kobe Bryant.


Number of Words: 564

"Tweaking Memories" May Help Drug Addicts From Relapsing

Researchers at Peking University conducted an experiment to support their theory about the idea that memory can be "rewritten." They conducted an experiment with 22 heroine addicts, who on average, hadn't used the drug for 11 years, to explain that showing cues relating to the experience of taking heroine, several times, can make reduce the cravings, and in turn, reduce the chance of relapse. The mind is fragile and "malleable" during the time when we recall experiences. When this memory is accessed, the memory can be rewritten. The experiment done, has shown us the possible success this technique could have. The first group of people were shown videos of things relating to heroine abuse. Then ten minutes later, they were shown other videos relating to heroin use. The other group was shown videos of the country side. The results: the first group had decreased cue-induced cravings while the second group had higher cue-induced cravings. This was because the second group didn't initially watch the heroin video which in turn, didn't "access" the memory. Since the memory was unable to be accessed, it couldn't be "rewritten." Many researchers and scientists are finding this an interesting and prospective technique to slow down, if not completely stop, addiction relapsing as it isn't much different from the other techniques that were being used. Also, it doesn't involve a heavy use of different technologies, making it something that could be useful and inexpensive for all.

Though none of my relatives are heroine addicts, or addicts at all, there are some who are heavily dependent on alcohol. They find the need to drink alcohol everyday, and are trying to reduce, but most of their methods don't seem to be working. They are trying to reduce the in take of alcohol on their own, but probably need a more firm, and direct technique to stop drinking alcohol on a "dependent level." I found this article quite inspiring because it contains this glimmer of hope. It shows me that it is possible for people to get help in any way they can. I want to become a doctor and I want to try my level best to help as many people as I can. This article just goes to show how much the world is developing around us - the economy, the medical field, the standard of living in most places, and so on. It gives me to hope and it makes me feel proud to be part of the upcoming generation who can contribute more to the way the world is working and developing into a place where everyone can be helped, in some way or the other. 

Number of Words: 461

  

Relaxation and Recuperation

46. If you had a day to spend as you wish, how would you use your time? (Carleton College)


This question got me thinking for a while. Though I would like to say that I would spend my day doing something productive like helping out the unfortunate, studying for an upcoming test, read the newspaper, and so on, I cannot say this with my full heart. This week especially has been so stressful for me. I know that many of you think that I don't know what stress is; adults out there, you know what I'm talking about. You probably feel the same way I feel when 6th and 7th graders at my school say that they're stressed out. All I say in my head is, "You have no idea what stress is. Wait till you're in my place." I give them a scornful look and turn away. But this week has been hectic to say the least. I have had so many assignments, and quizzes, and projects due that I don't even know where to begin. On top of that, we just had Chapel which took away 2 hours of my time. The getting dressed part and walking down took an hour alone, and the service was another hour. Though totally unnecessary, I was forced to go as the rules state so in the Woodstock Student Handbook. I don't feel like I have much time to relax and recuperate. I am always on my toes do this thing and that thing, I forget to give myself time. I forget to see the things I have deprived myself from. Clearly it's not food, water, or a place to stay, as the school provides that already for me, but I feel like I've deprived myself from happiness and rest. Both these are interrelated to say the least. If I don't get enough rest, I am not happy, and if I'm not happy that means that I haven't gotten much rest, 35 hours of sleep in a week only, when I should be getting 63 hours as I still am a growing boy, whether the people assigning me the work load believe me or not. 


The a bit of context to the things that go on in my life almost every week, I can proudly say that if I had a day to spend as I wished, I would definitely sleep early the night before, get up at a regular time, which means around 8:30 to 9 am for me. Too much sleep isn't good for your body either. I would then cook myself a nice breakfast of omelets, bacon, hash browns, and warm toast, if not go to the dining hall and eat the same thing; some might say the taste is a tad off in the dining hall. I would then take a nice shower and energize myself with the cold water rushing down from my head to my back. Refreshed, I would come out and watch a movie. Maybe play a bit of sports and move around during the beautiful day a bit. I would come back and sleep for a few hours, maybe read a few chapters of a book. Order dinner and treat myself for all the hard work that I've tried to do over the past few weeks. I would have an early nights rest and wake up energized, then, for a productive day at school. As you can see, I haven't mentioned anything about spending time with friends or family. The reason for this is, I feel like I'm always surrounded by people at Woodstock. Whenever I try to be alone, I can't, there is always someone or the other around. We don't have enough time as it is to do anything with the work load and all the chapels they plan for us at school, I don't even have time to reconnect with myself and with the things I'm interested in doing because I am always satisfying other people's wishes and demands - whether it is my parents, my teachers, or my friends. I don't have enough time to do things for myself. 


I only long for a day where I can do all these things and not have a care in the world. 


Number of words: 691

Telepathy: Power of Good or Evil?

21. If you had the gift of telepathy, the ability to read other people’s minds, would you use this gift or not? Explain. (Middle East Technical University/93)


There are always two sides to a story. Usually it comprises of the good guy and the bad guy. The bad guy is usually portrayed as one with evil intentions to take over the planet, destroy mankind, take all the money in the world and become even more corrupt than the character already is, while the good guy is usually portrayed as one with a kind heart, compassionate, empathetic, always trying to the do right thing, and so on. Well, at least most of the stories have some version of this or another. Both the good guys and the bad guys are given a situation in which they have to act upon. Let it be something as big as world domination, or something as little as saving a cat from a tree, it is, stereotypically, always the good guy who saves us all. So, if I was given the gift of telepathy, I would, undoubtedly, be the good guy in the story. Though it does sound appealing to have the gift of telepathy, I would definitely not use the gift of being able to read other people's minds.


In some cases, I would be helpful to have the power of telepathy guide us in our decision making process, in helping those in trouble, and helping ourselves as well. But we will soon turn selfish and read minds just to know what they are thinking. We would want to hear there juicy lives, we would want to know about what they did the night before, we would want to know everything. We humans tend to use the things we have respectfully and honorably for a while. But then all of that changes when we see that one advantage that will make us a better person than the person standing next to us. We are always ready to one up another person and show the world how great we are. Using the gift of telepathy will only do that for us. We we see how good it is for us to have it as we are able to help people around us, but then we'll start taking advantage of that and start using it to find out gossip and secrets about others. But the worst thing is, we would feel like it's the right thing to do because we will be so used to this seeming like a good thing for everyone.


We try to turn all the good things we have in life to our advantage, and those things instantly become not-so-good anymore. Though the idea of reading people's mind seems quite intriguing, I am a human being, and I know that I will use this power for wrong some point along the journey. For this reason, right off the bat, I would decide not to use this power at all, so that I can save myself and those I care about from misery. 


Number of Words: 483