‘My first and most important research project to date almost ended with failure.’
My first and most important research project to date almost ended with failure. Áron Ricardo Perez-Lopez describes his first experience with research in an MIT application essay that worked!
‘My finished sculpture is born of nothing but a handful of pipe cleaners and my imagination’
Pipe cleaners may seem childish to use in art — but to me, they are colorful and comforting, flexible and versatile, and there are no boundaries to what I can create with a few fuzzy sticks.
“Legolas is my favorite character”
My optimism has drawn others to me, even if they occasionally grumble "How can you be so darn happy all the time?"
‘I consider my work to be fun’
Like most teenagers, I spend a lot of time on the internet.
“I hope to share this wild ingenuity with the world”
When the sand became too much of an obstacle to plow through, we took to digging into the earth as pirates, eager to find the precious hidden booty of Dr. Phillips island.
“I will not forget what my mother dreamed”
Since that time, I have longed to see snow and to encounter exotic experiences that I could not find in Thailand.
Apples to apples to better apples
They stared at it in stunned silence for a while. I fidgeted with my fingers. Did I mess up?
A physics Olympiad that was almost bad
By the time I switched back to the test a neglected anxiety problem was at its peak, a sticky area covered my arm, empty test pages were sitting on the table, and only two hours were left. I knew it wouldn’t end well.
‘This is the place where the fog rolls’
I am still picking through it all, trying to piece together who I think I want to be.
‘The world was once just a tiny silhouette’
I loved the hustle and bustle of daily commuters. I dreamed about becoming them, about having the opportunity to live life in a busy city.
‘The pride I felt after volunteering’
The weekends I spent volunteering at events around the city soon translated to hours leading students.
‘I feel aloof yet connected to the rest of the world’
When it is dusk, I can see how the lights of the houses echo the stars above...
‘Although I only hear sounds, the rich dialogue and background noise make this other world feel real’
A new adventure begins every time I play This American Life, a popular radio program.