Feet clung tightly to the pavement, my eyes are locked straight ahead. My muscles strain to propel my legs forward. The rest of my body remains still. No inhaling, no exhaling; buildings rise and fall in my wake. Colors and sounds swirl madly around me, I continue at a crawling pace.

My life has been a total blur. My memory consists of bits of my past, like a puzzle missing most of its pieces. Everything has been focused on my goal, an undefined unknown called the “future.”

Cars blare their horns, children laugh and play on the sidewalks. Oblivious to my surroundings, my eyes remain fixed on my destination, the horizon. Almost mechanically I walk on, stepping nearer to the intersection ahead. The crack of thunder roars in the sky and rain begins pouring down over the landscape.

As my foot reaches into the street, a raindrop lands above my eye and slides down my skin. Startled, I retract and wake from my daze. Sixteen years I have been walking.

A sign of life: I breathe in and look around. Off in the distance the horizon still looms, but to my right I see the side streets. The paths are unpopulated, yet surrounded with life instead of concrete and steel. Curiosity overtakes my being as I stray from my road and venture out into unknown, ready to explore the world, to expand my interests, to live my life.

While this scene is fictitious in some ways, it is completely true in others. Throughout the past year I’ve made an effort to slow time; to appreciate my surroundings; to explore more than my forward path.

Writing for the school newspaper this year has suited me incredibly well and rekindled my love for writing. As not only an aide in deciphering my feelings, writing is also a strong tool in conveying my ideas and opinions. My talents in mathematics and the physical sciences have also influenced me greatly. I want to create; I want to explore. I want to be heard, I want to make people think, and I want to impact the world on a large scale. Through my educational endeavors I want my life to grow and change with times. I want to be the first person through the door to tomorrow, leading the charge, not simply following the beaten path.

Today, as I stand at this crossroad, I plan to take the side streets. I want my college experience to allow me to explore my world and develop my interests deeper. With the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell I can do exactly this. The study abroad opportunities are endless and will allow me to explore the physical world further, while the numerous courses and subject areas will help me to delve deeper into the mental realm. I still do not know where I am headed, but I am excited to continue to explore, and I am convinced Cornell is the place to help me define my horizon.