¶ … college education, two activities have proven most meaningful to me: skiing and cooking. Besides being great exercise, skiing has made me proud of who I am. As the only small Asian male in the skiing club, I initially found it awkward being the slowest person. I pushed myself to my limits and worked out arduously to improve my sport. I had to sacrifice most of my leisure time and devote it to swimming and weight lifting to make me physically stronger. I ultimately improved my skiing to be as skillful as others. It increased my confidence and I realized that through rigorous work I could compete with people who are physically stronger than I am. As a result of my own hard work, I have become a leader who always supports and encourages new members. Also, the fierce competition that I had in the beginning has transformed into compassion and support for others.

In addition to skiing, my job as a cook has been immensely rewarding. Volunteering to cook at the Ronald McDonalds House as one of the University against Cancer members has developed my creative skills and adaptability. For example, sometimes the ingredients I needed to cook Thai food were difficult to find. Searching for the right materials was challenging and I often had to make substitutions that would not alter the taste of the food. However, I also had to keep in mind that I was preparing food for American patients and that they might not find spicy food as satisfying as I do. Adjusting the taste to meet patients' preferences offered me an opportunity to adapt to new situations and to be sensitive to the needs of others. Cooking at the Ronald McDonald's House also taught me the importance of teamwork. For instance, if one of the cooking crews forgot to bring even a single ingredient, the taste of food would be greatly diminished.

Both skiing and cooking continue to have an impact on my life. I have grown as a person from what I have learned from both skiing and cooking: I am more confident and express my thoughts without feeling terrified being a minority student. Furthermore, the leadership skills that I have developed in these situations enable me to apply innovative and critical thinking to all group activities.