Challenging the Status Quo, Risking

Challenging the status quo, risking our reputation, all visionaries and adventurers have had make enormous personal sacrifices and venture into unknown territories. Like the famous European explorers who wanted more than anything to expand the boundaries of the known world, I have also been willing to endure fear and trepidation. I have made many moves and changes in my life, shifting into unfamiliar environments like new schools. Similarly, I have challenged myself academically, not only through hard work and studies but also by undertaking independent research that went beyond seeking a better grade. In doing so, I have actually been willing to risk a lower grade in favor of the benefits of a more resilient, more meaningful education.

My small adventures mirror those of the great European explorers. In the fifteenth century, men like Christopher Columbus proposed a new vision of the world. Columbus' views of the world clashed entirely from the worldview of his peers. Yet Columbus persisted in presenting his ideas to potential patrons. He was determined to sail across the Atlantic in search of territories that were previously untouched by European feet. Had Columbus kept his ambitions to himself, had he stayed home and daydreamed, he would not have changed the world. Therefore, the human race needs exemplary individuals: explorers, visionaries, artists, and scientists, to invoke new paradigms and welcome new ways of thinking.

Columbus succeeded in his quest in spite of huge public opposition. Similarly, I have met with opposition to my desires, goals, and dreams. When I first chose to make the leap from small town to city, and later from southern to northern California, I met with resistance from my parents, my friends, and myself. Yet the more radical changes I make the more confidence I get. The more confident and sure of myself I become, the more likely people are to believe in me and support me and the more likely I am to believe in and support myself. No doubt, when Columbus first set foot on the shores of the West Indies, he felt foreign. No matter how courageous he was, Columbus was only human and therefore had to have been afraid. Likewise, I questioned myself when I first made the decision to transfer.

Like Columbus, I thrive on healthy risk-taking and the excitement of new situations and surroundings. I enjoyed moving, in spite of my fear of new circumstances. There are several reasons why I enjoy the high level of stimulation of change. First, I have learned how adaptable I am, how welcoming I am to the changes that inevitably follow human beings around. The people who cling to stability are more likely to be shaken up by radical changes than those who have weathered a few twists and turns on their own. Second, I have learned that I am an independent and forward thinker. While not impulsive, I make decisions based on my needs, goals, and desires rather than on what others think. Third, I love meeting new people and participating in my new environment. Nothing can be more transformative than actively engaging people in rich dialogue, learning how different people from diverse walks of life have come to be in the same place at the same time.