Whether it’s solving a crossword, playing sudoku, or assembling complex furniture, logical puzzles bring me joy. When I was younger, I deeply loved creating art and writing stories but was indifferent to STEM subjects like math and science. However, as I grew older, I realized that the things I enjoyed about art/writing could also be applied to science/math. For example, when I am painting a person, I deconstruct the shapes to simplify the drawing process. Eyes become ovals, arms become cylinders, and the torso becomes a box. Then, you put the pieces together and slowly start building your way up. Similarly, when writing computer programs, you have to deconstruct the problem into manageable chunks of code using logic and then start interviewing the pieces. It was this realization that sparked my initial interest in computer science. Computer science quickly captured my heart; it combined the fun of logic puzzles with the power to build something meaningful. My father, a software engineer, has been a great source of inspiration for me. As a Pakistani immigrant, he worked extremely hard to reach where he is now. With his guidance, advice, and experience, my interest in computer science solidified into a desire to learn more about how we can use technology to make advancements for all of humanity. I hope to contribute to changing the culture around women in tech by succeeding in the field myself. I have been warned by multiple people to stop pursuing computer science because men dominate the field and it may be hard to be taken seriously. Yet, I’ve chosen to pursue my dreams and encourage other girls to pursue their passions by doing so myself. By being part of the women in tech movement, I aim to break down stereotypes that discourage women from entering STEM. I believe I can make a difference by contributing to the computer science field. In particular, I’m interested in cybersecurity and plan to educate people on safer technology practices. I also wish to combine my passion for the arts with computer science by exploring how design can enhance user experience and security.

Gazing at the night sky has always been a humbling experience. The vastness of the universe never fails to amaze me- each star shines brightly, with millions of stories to tell. The sheer enormity of it all inspires me to learn more about the mysteries of our world. What really is a black hole? Is there any truth to the parallel universe theory? What lies beyond the mere five percent of the ocean we’ve explored? Perhaps these questions will never be answered. Yet, I still believe it’s an endeavor worth trying. Although outer space is fascinating, I find literature and the arts most fascinating. Growing up, I have always been captivated by ancient tales and mythology. I loved hearing stories like Robin Hood, Ali Baba, and Rumpelstiltskin, or learning about mythological creatures such as fairies, dragons, and sirens. What’s special about these stories is that they give us glimpses into the minds of past civilizations. Separated by time and space, it’s fascinating how we can connect with other civilizations through the stories they left behind. Although the world is vast and every culture is unique, there are similar patterns in our behaviors. In every corner of the world, from the beginning of time, mankind has held a deep curiosity about the stars, the ocean, and the unknown. The questions our ancestors asked are the same ones we ask today: Where did we come from? What rules the cosmos? What lies beyond our world? And now, it’s our duty to try to understand our universe and answer these questions. To do that, we should first try to understand ourselves by paying attention to the stories, beliefs, and ideas passed from generation to generation. Besides literature, art is a powerful medium for understanding the universe. As an artist myself, I appreciate the diverse ways in which people express themselves. There is much to be learned from ancient Greek sculptures that showcase the human form, Andalusian architecture that harmonizes with nature, Native American jewelry passed from generation to generation, and modern abstract art. Each piece of art is a reflection of the culture from which it originates and helps us understand those societies. As a student with a passion for both computer science and art, I hope to use both these disciplines to learn more about our world. Computer science provides tools for simulation, modeling, and data analysis, which helps us investigate things like the cosmos, ocean currents, and societal patterns. By creating data visualizations, I hope to provide more insight into our world. I plan to adopt an interdisciplinary approach by integrating concepts from literature, art, and computer science. For example, I would like to analyze storytelling structures across cultures to identify universal themes and find which ones are most common and if any other conclusions can be made. Additionally, I would love to utilize data analysis to study social patterns and cultural trends from literary texts or popular art to uncover connections. Ultimately, we cannot hope to understand our universe if we remove the human aspect. If we try to explore the universe through merely science, without considering our emotions and cultural contexts, we risk losing sight of what makes these discoveries meaningful. Incorporating the human experience into our exploration of the universe through considering art and literature is crucial. I envision a future where interdisciplinary collaboration leads to discoveries about our universe and human nature.

Whether it’s solving a crossword, playing sudoku, or assembling complex furniture, logical puzzles bring me joy. When I was younger, I deeply loved creating art and writing stories, but was indifferent to STEM subjects like math and science. However, as I grew older, I realized that the things I enjoyed about art/writing could be applied to science/math as well. For example, when I am painting a person, I deconstruct the shapes to simplify the drawing process. Eyes become ovals, arms become cylinders, and the torso becomes a box. Then, you put the pieces together and slowly start building your way up. Similarly, When writing computer programs, you have to deconstruct the problem into manageable chunks of code using logic and then start interviewing the pieces. It was this realization that sparked my initial interest in computer science. Computer science quickly captured my heart; it combined the fun of logic puzzles with the power to build something meaningful. My father, a software engineer, has been a great source of inspiration for me. As a Pakistani immigrant, he worked extremely hard to reach where he is now. With his guidance, advice, and experience, my interest in computer science solidified into a desire to learn more about how we can use technology to make advancements for all of humanity. However, when I enrolled in my first computer science class, I was shocked. It comprised of about 95% males, something I had not been expecting. I was aware of the lack of female representation in STEM, but when I experienced it myself, it was disheartening. In all my following high school classes, I found the same pattern: about 25 boys and only 3 or 4 girls. Although the classes were certainly beneficial, I was disappointed to see how underrepresented women were in the field. I wished they felt comfortable enough to pursue their interests and would have appreciated having fellow girls in my class to relate to. I hope to contribute to changing the culture around women in tech by succeeding in the field myself. I have been warned by multiple people to stop pursuing computer science because men dominate the field and it may be hard to be taken seriously. Yet, I’ve chosen to pursue my dreams and encourage other girls to pursue their passions by doing so myself. By being part of the women in tech movement, I aim to break down stereotypes that discourage women from entering STEM. I believe I can make a difference by contributing to the computer science field. In particular, I’m interested in cybersecurity and plan to educate people on safer technology practices. I also wish to combine my passion for the arts with computer science by exploring how design can enhance user experience and security.

Euripides’s tragic ancient Greek play, Medea, explores the complexity of the human heart by juxtaposing maternal love and vengeance, and demonstrating the consequences of letting a person’s emotions control them. This can be observed in the scene where Medea laments, “Oh, my dear ones, my noble sons! Be happy, but there. Your father wrecked what we had here. Oh the joy of holding them, of their tender skin, of their sweet breath. Go in! Go in! I can no longer bear to look at you. My grief is too strong. I see the horror of what I am doing, but anger overwhelms my second thoughts- anger, boundless source of all evil” (Euripides 1049-1057). Medea is a controversial character for various reasons. Firstly, she defies classical Greek societal norms by behaving assertively rather than being meek and demure, as a woman was expected to be. When she helps the hero Jason escape with the legendary Golden Fleece, she goes so far as to betray her family for her lover. Another reason she is such a controversial character is that she is not a righteous hero, as most classical Greek protagonists were. Rather, Medea is a cunning woman who is cold enough to kill her brother to save her husband. Unfortunately, Jason betrays her by abandoning her and their children and instead getting engaged to Princess Glauce. This betrayal is what pushes Medea to get revenge, no matter the cost. However, the savage lengths she went to for her twisted justice shocked Greek audiences, making her a morally gray character. As a mother, Medea’s love for her children runs deep. She feels sorrow for her "dear’, ‘noble’ sons because she planned to kill them to get revenge on Jason. By reflecting on the joy she gets from holding her sweet children, her sorrow grows even more. Even though Medea was a controversial character who many readers disliked, this scene illustrates the nuance of ‘evil’ characters by depicting Medea as a grieving mother who loves her children dearly, rather than just being a blindly murderous woman. Euripides aims to humanize Medea and make the reader empathize with her by showing that her despair was so great that she could ‘no longer bear’ to even look at her children. Yet, Medea’s heart is warring within. On one hand, she loves her children deeply and can;t bear the thought of hurting them. On the other hand, she is so hurt from Jason’s betrayal that she desires vengeance by inflicting pain on him. She demonstrates her bitterness by cursing Jason, saying he ‘wrecked what we had here’. This statement highlights her bitterness that Jason broke their family and sets him as the antagonist of her emotional suffering. Maternal love may be powerful, but Medea is so full of rage and grief that, in the end, her negative emotions overpower her. Perhaps the saddest part of all, Medea recognizes the horror of her intentions. She knows that killing her children would kill her inside and would violate the will of the gods. This self-awareness illustrates the complexity of human emotions and shows that sometimes, people feel powerless because they are so consumed with negative emotions. Medea’s admission that anger overwhelms her rational thoughts shows how powerful emotions can be, and that human morality is more fragile than it seems. Interestingly, Medea refers to anger as ‘the boundless source of all evil’. Here, Euripides suggests that the root of all evil is anger, and that if a person can control their anger, they will be able to refrain from evil. Overall, the tragedy of Medea is marked by her inability to reconcile love and anger. Euripides’s message in this scene is that the human heart is capable of many powerful emotions, and that oftentimes, these emotions cause people to take rash actions. Medea’s choice to pursue vengeance over her maternal instincts is the prime example of the catastrophic consequences of being a slave to your emotions rather than controlling them. Her downward spiral throughout the story sends a clear warning to the reader: do not lose yourself in the pursuit of revenge.

A bead of sweat ran down my forehead as I swung my arms to hit glowing blocks barreling towards me. I was playing Beat Saber, an immersive virtual reality game, for the first time. My heart raced as I swung left and right wildly to maximize my points. As I played, gears shifted in my head, and my curiosity was piqued. If something as simple as a rhythm game could be so immersive, what possibilities could VR technology open for the world? I have always been fascinated with VR and its ability to make everything more dynamic, especially education. By using virtual reality tools, students have the ability to learn complex topics such as chemical compounds by viewing detailed 3D models that would otherwise not have been possible. Concepts once confined to textbooks can now be thoroughly demonstrated through hands-on experience. For people pursuing careers in fields like medicine, VR offers simulations where students can practice surgeries safely to prepare them. Considering all this, I believe incorporating VR lessons into the education system is worth looking into, especially since it would have helped in classes I struggled in, such as biology. Another inspiring aspect of VR is its use in fine arts. Artists can create paintings/drawings in a 3D virtual space, paving the way for new forms of art. As an artist myself, I am well aware of the potential this tool has. Not only does it revolutionize the art world, but it also makes art more accessible by reducing the cost needed for expensive art supplies such as high-grade markers. In truth, the world has not even come close to exploring all the possibilities that the advent of virtual technology has created. It has opened doors for many and represents more than just some new technology. It’s a tool that inspires me to look at the bigger picture. We must ponder on how we can use new technology to transform the world, as VR did through its contributions in education and creativity.