Personal Statement
September 2019
Published November 2020
Growing up, I attended six different elementary schools and lived in zip codes across the eastern and southern regions of the United States. My family’s housing ranged from an apartment in New York City to a sprawling house in the tiny town of Hazard, Kentucky, where the population was 1,500. Change was a facet of my life that left me always asking, “What’s nextEven though the friends and the places never stayed the same, one constant was always technology. It helped me to interact and communicate with my old friends, and I used technology to define myself. I watched the Apple Keynotes religiously and read TechCrunch daily to stay up to date with the newest releases. Before starting middle school, I built my first computer in my dining room with a new friend I met at school, and joining the fifth grade Lego robotics club led me to meet some friends that I have to this day.
In middle school, however, I didn’t want technology to define me anymore; I didn’t want to be the stereotypical Indian guy obsessed with technology because I was still trying to figure out who I was and how technology played a role in that. Because of my chameleon-like tendencies gained from five states and seven cities, it was easy for me to like the things that my peers liked, and that guided the development of my early teenage interests.
I started enjoying football and soccer, playing on the field at school, and watching popular movies with my friends. Through acid testing many interests, I was able to find activities and ideas that I wanted to integrate into my personality. I reserved technology as a means of relaxation on my own, but I still watched the Apple Keynotes, read TechCrunch, and even started coding. Technology was an integral part of my identity, even as I started spending more time invested in other activities and working to defy stereotypes.
When I had the opportunity to go to the same high school with the same people for four years, I realized that I never had to change again. I didn’t have to move to different cities and I largely had the same friends that I could count on, but still, something was off. I felt the need to keep moving, if not physically, then with my personality.
I am still changing my personality—willingly and consciously—as I keep looking for the next thing to be obsessed with. I recently discovered cycling and triathlons, and now I’m just waiting for the next time I get to wear a race bib. I’m also addicted to perfecting my espresso making skills, and love watching Formula 1 Racing. I’m able to rattle off who won Maillot Juane in the Tour de France this year, why Costa Rican coffee is better than Ethiopian coffee, and why Max Verstappen is the best driver in the 2019 F1 season. However, I didn’t discover these interests because of my peers. The acid testing from middle school allowed me to realize that I enjoyed them regardless of my surroundings. Looking back, I realize that I am who I am because of the level of change that I was exposed to from a young age.
When I was in elementary school, I didn’t enjoy moving. It was hard to keep up with the new people, new places, and new environments. But now, I realize that change is one of the things that defines me. By adapting to so many changes, I was able to expand my personality, find new interests, and have confidence in any social situation. Change also developed my love for knowledge, my endless curiosity, and an understanding of who I am. In college, I’ll still watch the Apple Keynotes, read TechCrunch, and continue coding. But I’ll also discover new obsessions, interests, and continue to shape my identity.