Sharing my supplement essay
Essay question: Describe one or more activities you have been involved in that have been particularly meaningful. What does your involvement say about the communities, identities, or causes that are important to you?
The Lebanese school curriculum to students mirrors the influence of Mr. Perry on Neil in Dead Poets Society. A culture so deeply rooted in its core belief of students who aspire to embark in the realm of arts or athleticism are deemed unworthy. Like Neil, I struggled with the consequences of taking upon a different path from what is expected by the society that surrounds me. My little bubble which I grew up in akins to the boarding school that Neil was a part of.
There’s a type of pain that came with constantly grappling the contradictions of a fervent yearning, begging to be taken seriously. I still wonder if this perseverance of mine is something that ties to my identity or just instilled in my natural personality.
What I love most about Dead Poets Society is the frame in the final scene as Mr. Keeting was leaving, where Todd and many of the students stood on their tables, but others remained seated.
This frame is so overlooked, yet particularly important; as it represents how despite a community following one core belief, there will always be those who believe differently. In my case, I was lucky enough to be introduced to certain people who believed that pursuing arts is equally important as scientific endeavors. Those people encouraged my artistic and athletic side. People, who I will never forget, and who helped shape up who I am today.
But there are other things. Other things that tie to who I am today; and to who we are in general. Like hobbies. Things we’re good at. And things we may not be good at, but rather, have interest in.
Being a naïve and lost kid in middle school, I refused to believe I was ever good at anything. It wasn’t until I met my 7th grade English teacher who encouraged me to write, and said to me that she hopes to see my name on books someday. At the time, I didn’t quite understand how important those words were. But in my recent years, I have found myself consistently writing and posting my articles online, with the mere goal of my curiosity of where this might take me.
Through pain, I flourished in the world of art. The uncertainty of “what if”, seemed to be far more entertaining than being neglected. Not only did I post over 40 writings within the span of a few months, but I also had thousands of people reach out to me, telling me how I helped them in ways I didn’t know were possible. I fell in love with the process that came with the pursuit of excelling in one field of work, and continually working to improve. Soon enough, I began to create videos as well, integrating my writings in my cinematography and testing out editing techniques.
While society’s perception on watching films and YouTube videos was considered ‘a waste of time’, I saw it as a playground of inspiration. I took my variety of possible topics and prompt ideas from the films I was profoundly moved by. I turned to YouTube to learn about the world of film, and taught myself about the technicalities, the storytelling, and the screenwriting aspects of filmmaking.
I saw flaws in my community, and the thought of using art to leverage social change was only so persistent. Having no subjects relating to film, theatre, or cinema, in my school, I decided to start a student-led film club. I met with students who are as passionate as I am. We worked on creating short films which showcased the common struggles and issues within our schools in Lebanon. This experience taught me that a burning desire for a certain endeavor, when taken seriously, can be life-changing.
Apart from the real of arts, I turned to running as means of self-expression the same way I did in my creative endeavors. Being a competitive athlete was something I had to hide for many years being a woman living in an Arab country. At 10 years old, my parents didn’t want me joining the school’s soccer club because they were afraid I’d grow muscles like a man. Having that same mentality which I used in my love towards the world of art, I went to practice anyway.
Today, I’m a track athlete for the Lebanese National team, holding multiple national titles and junior records.
My determination for wanting to do things against all odds showed me the world of opportunity, and the beauty of thriving in the things we love. Community, to me, is the very few people who believed in me; those who I met through my running club and, ironically, through school.
