Alright, challenge accepted.
The milkoracle proposed that 20 minutes or 4 and a half hours of writing the CommonApp US Essay would yield the same result, so here goes nothing!
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I remembered a poignant conversation with my friend: "If you can start from above, why do you insist on starting below and working your way up? You'll die of exhaustion!"
We were talking about relationships, but his question really extended to other areas of my life. I come from a comfortable middle-class family in Indonesia and life has always been easy, but mediocre for me. I had little aptitude in the arts and sports, and an unfit physique. Only two features redeemed me: my slightly above intelligence, and my attitude. I don't mean to brag, but my life could have been considerably easier. I mean, I could always stay put and perform regularly in my studies, and lead a comfortable life in Indonesia, my beloved country.
Yet, my life has always been full of leaps. I moved to a much more competitive secondary school in Tangerang, Indonesia, and from there, leaped to out-of-the-world St Joseph's Institution in Singapore. Seemingly unsatisfied, with a lot of luck, I joined the famous Bishan JC, apparently one of the top premier education in Singapore. And when I thought life couldn't get even harder, here I am, seeking to apply to even greater heights of Cambridge and Princeton.
If I am a fish, I was born very small, and was constantly thrown into bigger and bigger ponds before I can even grow to my fullest potentials. It was really just nice, any slower growth and I would have been swallowed by the Piranha of the pond --- stress and fear. Of course, I managed it with the help of the people around me, they make me believe that guardian angels exist. I remember how at one instance, I was lonely and stressed, and my ex-teacher gave me a Facebook message just on time to tell me that everything was going to be alright. At another instance, I was at the end of the rope when a particular girl threw one anew at me. It may sound naive and puerile, but back then she was the driving force that woke me up from my bed in my early mornings.
But of course, the second redeeming feature of myself played a significant part too. I used to get carried away feeling very inferior; After all, I believed that I got where I am now due to the fact that I had potential --- It remains to be seen if it will ever be realized. However, whenever I am in despair, I stop, turn inwards, and look back. I do realize, despite leaving lots of shattered glasses and leakages of water behind in my imperfect trail, it has been a wonderful journey after all. I remember telling a stranger at a perfume shop: "a black sheep makes the white sheep whiter." Without these challenges, I would never realize my life and my true potential. Although time had barely allowed me to breathe and expand my wings, this is the path I took, and I never regretted it, thank you!
So life, please carry on, take me to greater heights, and bless me with these greater challenges.
It was meant to be.
So to be honest, I have Singaporean friends asking me; I have ladies asking me about where I would live in after I finish studying. What my reply was, and will always be: "Singapore is a really nice place to stay. You are taken care of, everything is stable, and wonderful." However, it is only right to repay one's debts, and to help one's country in whatever possible way you can, thus I am going back to Indonesia one day to live there again, hopefully growing together with her. Why? The choice seems foolish: It is a lot riskier, and is truly much more difficult. Then the voice inside my head asks: "why not?"
After all, working my way upwards has always been my specialty.
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Okay, I have a few confessions to make. This definitely took more than twenty minutes, perhaps almost twice of it including the brainstorming and the grammar checks. Moreover, it definitely exceeds five hundred words, perhaps amassing about 700 to 800 words? And I am simply too sleepy to condense it. Nevermind, hopefully it paints a better picture of myself nevertheless. Thanks for reading :)
Orh, if any Singaporean teachers are reading this blog, happy Teachers' day :) In Indonesia, we refer to teachers as "Pahlawan tanpa tanda jasa" which literally translates to "heroes without insignia". It may be tough to be the sole candle amid the oppressing enigma of darkness, but please carry on, for someday the room will be brightly lit.
Truly Indonesia's Finest
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