ANC 51: perfect imperfection

227. The 100 percent perfect ...


A world with perfection will be very desolate. There'll be no more doctors smiling and kindly helping to improve patients' health, no more students learning new, interesting things in life, no more engineers to fix problems in different technology, no more researchers to look for facts and flaws in knowledge we have on discoveries, and no more purpose in life because perfection is already achieved. 


The beauty of perfection is that we cannot approach it in any way. Like a diamond looking precious out of hands but looking like a dull jewelry when possessed, perfection is looked up because it is beautiful when it is not achieved. 


Because everything is imperfect, we share love, care, worries, happiness, sadness with one another. When everything is perfect, there's no need to remove or add anything. Perfection does not need any of these expression and feelings from others because it is perfect. But in return, if there were none of these feelings, what would make anything perfect? Without these feelings, there's no friends, no family, no supporters, and so on. Perfection is absolute. There is no requirement of anything. 


We try to achieve perfection. But the fact that we cannot achieve perfection however much we try is what makes us perfect altogether. Because patients are imperfect in health, doctors give help. Because doctors are imperfect, they continue to study with new discoveries about our body found by researchers and biologists. To help these researchers and biologists are engineers developing technology. In order to develop engineering skills are schools, colleges, and universities. 


Because everything is interdependent and imperfect, our world is perfect. 

ANC 50: Life records

163. If you could invent something, what would it be, and why? (University of Virginia)


Our world is developing day by day and our lives are getting better as time goes by. With many inventions making our life easier and more comfortable, any invention not having real effect of ease hardly get attention these days. 


But I would like to make an invention that is not related to developing our life. Rather, I would love to invent a machine that records one's life. We have devices such as camera and video recorder to savor our memories. But all the humorous, sad, interesting, embarrassing moments we've had in our lives are nowhere but only in our minds. Even the sad and embarrassing moments are funny when we think back on, yet we do not even have humorous moments of our lives recorded in such a way that we can remember them properly. 


The time when I was born, the way I looked and cried as a baby, how I played as a kid, where I went with friends and families, and how I learnt and put effort.. All of these to be recorded in one machine.. that someday I'll be able to watch these and smile like when I read my old journals. All the reason I want to make this life-recording machine is that I don't want to miss or forget any of the small moments I have had in my life because my life has been very interesting and challenging with happy and sad moments shared with my friends and family. 

ANC 49: Small Hero

168. Imagine that you are a "hero" or "heroine" for one day during any time period and under any circumstances. Write a creative essay describing your experience. (Notre Dame)


In the pitch black darkness, I heard noises of whips coming out of a small alley. I peeped cautiously. There was a man rebuking small kids wearing torn clothes. He seemed to ask money from them. I knew I had to do something. Calling the police was the first thing I did. But I had to stop the man before the kids got hurt anymore. Until the police came I had to prevent the man from killing the kids. I looked around and found a stick. 


I had to make sure that I was careful. As soon as I entered the alley, the man noticed me. He smirked seeing that I was the only one to notice the situation. He simply asked me to go away, but I refused and continued to walk towards the kids. I told him to stop hitting children like a jerk. It made him get mad at me and raise his whip. As I saw the whip coming towards me, I took the stick and caught the end of the whip. The whip then rolled around the stick, and as soon as that happened I pulled the stick at a very quick, powerful speed. Thankfully, the man seemed to be drunk and he didn't have much balance that his hands let loose from the whip. He roared and ran towards me holding a knife in his hands. But that very moment, policemen pointed their gun towards him and the drunk man was arrested soon. I took the kids to the hospital and got them get cared there. I bought them clothes and food and asked them to call me whenever they needed me. 

The incident was small and I hadn't done much. But my heart was filled with satisfaction and relief that I was able to help at least few kids out in this world. 

ANC 48: I don't know

133. French novelist Anatole France wrote: "An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't." What don't you know? (Brown)

I agree strongly with Anatole France. The more I learn, the more I feel I do not know. 

In biology class, as I learn different functions of our body, I understand that different organisms have different genetic codes, different organ functions, different cell structures, and different ability to survive. But I wonder how different organisms evolved first of all and who made those genetic codes first of all. 

In Mathematics class, I develop my calculation skills, but I wonder who ever discovered such formulas and why they did so, and who made devices such as graphing calculators and how they are made. 

In Chemistry class, I wonder why there are different chemical substances found in the world, why some substances react and some don't, how some elements have isotopes while others don't. 

In English class, I wonder why there are so many different types of English used in different periods of time, why people wanted to classify English into British English and American English, how English became international language, and why the grammar and spellings are so complicated. 

And I wonder with such lack of knowledge if I'll ever be able to get into a college, if I'll be able to assimilate all the required information for my career, if I'll be able to pay for the fees first of all, and if I'll be able to survive in this society which seems to have corruption and satires developing day by day. 

And now I wonder if I know what I do not know because what I don't know will not be in my mind. I won't be even aware of the things I do not know. Now I wonder if this question really makes sense or not. 

ANC 47: Wednesdays

123. How do you feel about Wednesday? (U of Chicago)

There are two different feelings depending on my condition on different Wednesdays. 

As soon as I realize that it's Wednesday and think in my mind, "Oh, man, it's only Wednesday," it means that that particular Wednesday is going to be a very slow, boring one. Monday and Tuesday seemed like two weeks already, and today is only Wednesday, which means there's still Thursday and Friday to go. That's 24 hours of Thursday, 24 hours of Friday, and 12 hours of today... in total 60 hours more, which is 3600 minutes, 216000 seconds long...! Oh my God. I sigh. And trust me, throughout that day, my mind is full of how to make the time flow faster. Sometimes I feel Wednesday is even worse than Mondays. At least I'm prepared for Mondays by taking good rest during Sunday evening! But Wednesday just makes me feel stuck in the middle of the week, reminding me of stupid things I've done past two days and demanding more energy to survive next two days. 

But surprisingly, more often, I get a different feeling. I do not realize that it's Wednesday in the morning. All I can feel is invigorated body and mind. Good night sleep, good breakfast, and good weather.. As I gaze at the blue sky, I then realize. "Wait.. Oh my gosh, it's already Wednesday?" And from then on, I think I don't have much time. I had so many things planned to do this week. I have fun in everything I do that day and try to do my best to not have any regrets later. Tomorrow is Thursday, and the day after is Friday! Only two more days and this week's going to pass and never come back in my life. 

The two feelings I go through on Wednesdays are so different from each other that sometimes I feel like someone puts magic on me while I'm asleep on Wednesday dawns. But I guess what really matters is what I think in the morning. I say to myself that Wednesdays are the best days in the week because it's the day I can reflect back on my behavior past two days. If I had made any mistakes, it's fine because I have two more days to fix them! If I had spent two past days perfectly, I have more chances of completing this week with happy ending! 

Wednesday makes me feel like I have magic powers. 

ANC 46: Good and Bad in me

86. How would you describe yourself as a human being? What quality do you like best in yourself and what do you like least? What quality would you most like to see flourish and which would you like to see wither?" (Bates College)


I'm an incomplete human being. I am neither perfect nor horrible as a human being in this world. Still developing, shaping, learning, and improving, I am a human being just like others in the world trying their best through many ways to become a complete human being. 


Half of me is perfect. By socializing, being kind, serving, participating, and expressing ideas and opinions, I have respect from friends, family, teachers, and people around me; they like me as who I am. In return, I have gratefulness towards them. By putting efforts in everything I do and trying to do my best, many people think I have a wonderful status in life, with good grades, friends, and family. 


Half of me is horrible. While showing great facade to people, I display the most horrifying behavior towards the people closest to me. I show anger, hatred, jealousy, enmity and turn away from them when busy with my work. Selfish and stubborn, I hardly listen to anyone when I have my opinion. Narrow-minded and careless, I've faced many blockades trying to stop me from wrong path, but I trespass those with recklessness and heedlessness.


Only if I developed more caring heart, more open-mindedness, more faith, more trust, and more love, and only if I deterred hatred, anger, enmity, jealousy, narrow-mindedness, and doubts from growing, then would I perhaps get out of horrible half of me. Probably, I would not be perfect but a complete human being, helpful to others in the society. 

ANC 45: Who am I?

50. Tell us about yourself. (University of California)


A girl with a white skin fetish, chinky, black eyes, straight, black hair, round nose, and red lips.. 
Having a typical Korean look, speaking in Korean, but having a typical Indian accent as she speaks English.. 
Called as stone age girl due to lack of knowledge about celebrities, cars, and movies..
Socializing with different range of people in South India, North India, Korea, and different parts of the world..
Removing socks as soon as reaching home..
Adept in eating Indian curries with right hand.. 
Loving friends and families the most in the world.. 
Always looking forward to learn new things that fascinate me and stirs curiosity..
Enjoying talking to teachers and getting advice from elders.. 
Strong in opinions and participation for activities.. 
Thinking of continuing Tae Kwon Do but too lazy to actually do so.. 
Releasing stress by playing piano and violin and listening to music.. 
Having grown up in India for most of life..
Hating to watch horror movies.. 
Not minding dancing and singing in public..
Desiring to have happiness with families and friends by having enough education, occupation, and wealth, facing reality.. 
Dreaming of becoming a person helpful to neighbors and society..
is me. 

ANC 44: Killing enmity

203. How can a person get along with an enemy?

I think it is very difficult to say what really helps a person get along with an enemy. One will have all the possible negative feelings towards the enemy: hatred, enmity, jealousy, and so on. And finding a way to relinquish all of these negative feelings is really hard. The first step to getting along with an enemy, however, is forgiveness according to me. By first considering forgiving one's enemy, one succeeds in having the courage and heart to consider the recovery of the relationship between them. 

The next step is having a heart to understand the enemy's situations. I believe that each an every individual in this world has his/her own behind stories that might have caused them to do wrong doings. Sometimes, we even face situations where we have to do wrong things in order to fix situations. A small example for this is a high school student drinking due to peer pressure in order to keep his high school life safe. But the fact is, we do not know how many students in that gang is dedicated to force others to drink; asking another student to drink might have started with only one  popular person's ideas and other followed. We also often see articles talking about murderers having killed people due to their genetic problems or mental problems. It is utterly sad that we often classify people as good and bad. So, even your enemy might have his/her own situations.

Most importantly, throughout the process in getting along with an enemy, one needs to kill the heart of revenge. One should stop thinking about taking a revenge because revenge is what makes the enmity grow. 

Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44)

Probably following this statement in the Bible is really hard. But perhaps we can try to kill the negative feelings we have towards enemies first.  

ANC 43: Summer before college

174. If money and family obligations left you entirely free, how and where would you spend the summer before college?

To me, high school means many things; it is really special. Grown as a missionary kid, I could not dream of getting into an expensive international school every in my life. I had always attended public school or local school in India, which cost maximum $1000 per year. Only with many supports was I able to attend the 1st ranked international school in India. 

Hence, leaving high school to proceed to college is a very special occasion for me. And I believe summer before college will be the perfect time to reflect all this value. First of all, I want to visit all the people who supported me and made it possible for me to attend high school: support either in money or prayer. And I want to return happiness by telling them that I could get into a good college only because of their support. That will make both them and me happy. 

Then, I want to have a party with all of my high school friends, including the people I wasn't very close because of competition. Only because of them was I able to pass through the difficult studies and dorm life in high school, and only because of them was I able to focus studying among competition. As mentioned, my high school life was dorm life. That just makes my high school life very special. I have so much memories shared with each one of my friends, dorm teachers, and school teachers. I'm sure I'll be busy once I get into college, so I want to have all the fun I can with them during summer. The best place for this will be beach! I can already imagine all of us swimming, eating, and chatting under the sunlight with cool breeze and ocean in front of us. 

Lastly, I would go to a village in a valley where air is fresh and scenery is beautiful. Before going to college, I should reflect on my life so far and get ready to face the reality of life laid in front of me. I would write journals, take pictures, hike to mountains, and breathe in healthy air. I would make posters full of pictures of people who helped me, friends who will face college with me, and my family that has always supported and encouraged me. 

Through these three things, I am sure that I will get a new determination to start my college life. By remembering gratefulness, friendship, and freshness, I will have so much adventure in college.

ANC 42: in that college..

159. "The instructor said,/Go home and write/a page tonight./And let that page come out of you,/Then, it will be true." The second line of this poem by Langston Hughes, "Theme for English B," goes on to ask: "I wonder if it's that simple?" We ask you here to write a truthful page about yourself, beginning where Hughes begins: "I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem./I went to school there, then Durham, then here/to this college on the hill above Harlem./I am the only colored student in my class." That is to say, each of us is at a certain stage of life and has a history. Each of us has lived somewhere and gone to school. We each are what we feel and see and hear, as the poem goes on to say. Begin there and see what happens. (University of Chicago)


I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.
I went to school there, then Durham, then here
to this college on the hill above Harlem.
I am the only colored student in my class.


Some mock, some laugh, and some criticize
the way God has presented me
and sent me to this beautiful but saddest campus.
All I do is smile back at them, hoping for the best.


I speak at debates, I play instruments, 
I listen to my teachers, I respect them, 
All of these carried out just by emulation,
by faith, by pride, by love in me. 


I fell, I got up by myself, but it was hard.

The next time I fell, it was harder.

The next time I fell, I couldn't do alone, 

but with a new friend's invaluable help. 

A friend's help is encouragement,

a fuel for my confidence,

doubling, tripling, and quadrupling

friends, supports, and happiness.

With precious moments God gave me, I now go

to this college on the hill above Harlem, where

I am the only colored student in my class, which

makes me exceptionally proud, happy, and special. 

ANC 41: not alone

126. Are we alone? (Tufts)

Crawling on four limbs,

Spilling spits everywhere, 

With hankie hung around the neck, 

the small creature gets attention;

"Come here! Here's a candy for you!" 

"Aww, let me clean diapers for you" 

The small creature now on two limbs, 

Attending school and learning society, 

Faces pressure from different world

And forgets the true supporters around;

"You can do it. Don't be depressed"

"I will pray for you. Best of luck!"

The creature now bigger than ever, 

With responsibilities and stress on shoulders,

Bends its back slowly, 

Losing track of its beloved in front;

"I respect my Daddy!"

"I love you, honey"

On two limbs supported by one artificial limb,

The creature enervated, shaking, 
Sadly sits in a corner of balcony, 
Gazing at the sky that gives warm sunlight
Over the creature thinking to be 
All alone for these years. 


Having never looked around, 
the creature failed to realize 
that there were always someone around, 
that there's always someone caring and watching,
that it was never alone. 

ANC 40: Understanding

117. Hiking to Understanding.

My grandmother seemed to care about me too much. "Do you want me to cut some apples?" "Do you like Kimchi soup?" "Some oranges?" "Any biscuits?" "Have some juice" "Try some of this... and that..." Asking me series of questions, my grandmother kept on moving around instead of taking a rest. I felt uncomfortable. Every night, she says that her legs are not how they used to be before; her legs hurt and feel numb at some point of time. Yet she keeps on standing in the kitchen, doing something or the other. I could not understand her. I told her several times to stop working and rest. But she would not listen to me. 

One evening, my grandmother seemed to be busier than any other day. She worked in the kitchen the whole night. I was mad at the fact that she was hurting herself more. So I told her to stop working but my grandmother only replied by telling me to go to bed. Lying on the bed, I couldn't sleep quickly with the noise in the kitchen and the thought that grandmother will complain the next day. 

The next morning, the breakfast table seemed to be bigger than usual. I glanced at it. There was bean soup. I was surprised to see such a time consuming soup on breakfast table. It didn't take long for me to realize that grandmother had been making this soup the whole night. I asked her, "Wow, how come you made this soup?" Her reply was just one sentence short. "I remember you saying that you love this soup." 

Only then did I realize that grandmother can't stop working because of her love for her family including me. Her love is so great that she can't control. Even if she is tired and even if we tell her several times to stop working, she just can't because her mind is full of making stuff we like. Then I understood each an everything she did. As my mom said, it was like a habit that my grandmother kept on working for us till now, for many, many years. 

ANC 39: heedlessness

115. What is the major contribution you've made in any field of your life?


During my sixth year of playing piano, I've faced a blockade. I could no more enjoy playing piano. All the music sheets looked like disgusting, black worms crawling on white spread sheet. I was sick of playing piano all the time in school, church, and home. People only said that they envy me for my piano skills but never realized that playing piano never outstands other performers. Audiences hardly recognize that the background music to which the center-staged performers  sing or dance is played by someone behind the curtain. 


As days passed with me not playing piano, I could feel my hands getting numb, losing the touch of the keys. But I still didn't want to look at those music sheets. So I made a choice of taking an adventure. I played piano without any music sheets in front of me. My hands made out some melodies that I've never heard of before. Trying to figure out the right chords and harmony, I pressed the keys with the rhythm, style, and tune flowing in my head. Sometimes, I got frustrated when I couldn't figure out the harmony for melodies in my head, and I wanted to stop playing on my own which some people call "nonsense." But I carried it on with heedlessness

Whatever and however the path was, the adventure has been successful. I can make my songs as I play, and people who heard me do said that my music sounds beautiful. In church, school, and home, I play my music, free from restrictions and limits of harmonies displayed through music sheets. My adventure is not over yet. It will continue. I still try to make further difficult harmonies through my music, hoping that this talent of mine will be used to help others at some point of time. 

ANC 38: Desperateness

139. Spanish poet Antonio Machado wrote, “Between living and dreaming there is a third thing. Guess it.” Give us your guess. (U of Chicago)

Between living and dreaming, there's definitely one elaborate element: desperateness. It is like a bridge connecting living and dreaming. When there's desperateness, dreaming becomes true in living. 

I have always dreamed to join one of the top colleges in the world. Step by step, I learnt that I need to achieve small things first in order to make my dream come true in reality. However, my first blockade itself was such a hard one: language. The fact that I couldn't communicate with people was horrifying. I couldn't understand them nor could I express myself. But I didn't stop talking to people around me. I enacted with my body until they understood. And that was possible only because of my "desperateness" to convey my thoughts and opinions. With it, I saw myself stepping a little forward towards my dream.

And even now, I am in the process of approaching my dream, standing on this bridge closer to the living. But I believe that the fact blockades don't seem too difficult now is because my desperateness is growing as time passes. With not much time left, I realize how much more I need to work and how hard it is to get into a top college.

Depending on the desperateness and the effort followed by it, one will succeed in freely crossing over the bridge between living and dreaming.  

ANC 37: Food made by heart

52. The subject of food is never far from our minds here in College Admissions. It is a topic of serious conversation this year on campus, too, with the publication of a book called The Hungry Soul: Eating and the Perfecting of our Nature, by Leon Kass, M.D., a Chicago faculty member who teaches in the College. The book takes a philosophical look at what food, eating, and table manners have to tell us about our human estate. Compose an essay about a memorable meal you have eaten. We are especially interested in the details: the occasion, your company at this meal, its physical setting, the kinds of foods you ate, or their preparation. (University of Chicago)

The pungent smell of Indian dish promoted my curiosity. With only one candlelight shone in the darkness, I could bearly see the face of the person handing me the food. I looked around to see how people around me ate. They mixed with their hands the white, flying rice with the brownish gravy called curry. As they ate, they licked and ingested their food in hands by the their tongues.

Looking at me, they raised their hand full of rice and curry towards me, simulating a gesture of asking me to eat quickly. I awkwardly smiled at them. With my hands, I mixed the food with curry and carried it towards my mouth with my right hand. Everyone was looking at me. Awkwardly, I pushed the food in my hands into my mouth. It was salty and completely "Indian taste." I smiled at people looking at me, who then continued to eat.

I felt the need to drink, so I quietly asked the lady in the kitchen if I could get some water. She said she'll not provide plain water to a foreign guest like me. When she came out of the kitchen, she held a lemon and a cup. She sat next to me. I guessed that she would make me lemon juice and was glad. But that happy thought of drinking lemon juice to quench my thirst disappeared at once when I saw her rolling the lemon on that dirty, cement floor. Then she cut the lemon into half and squeezed the lemon as if she was giving it a massage. The pure lemon juice filled the cup. After putting loads of sugar and water, she handed it to me, showing a big, broad smile.

I was here to show my love and share the good news of our savior. I knew the lady prepared all of this just to show her gratefulness and service to me. Though the substance inside the cup didn't look like lemon juice but a fluid out of yellow ball rolled on the cement floor and massaged with potter's hands, I drank it at once, showing my thumps up to the lady.

Surprisingly, the food tasted much better after that drink. It was much later when I realized that lemon helps in digestion. All the feelings of food stuck in my digestion tracts disappeared at once.

The food was, in fact, amazing. 

ANC 36: Kid's teachings

120. Tell about the most unforgettable experience you've ever had.

Recently I realized that through kids I can learn. The experience was on the day of my cousin brother's talent show. My cousin brother, Ye Chan, is just 3 years old. He goes to a small playschool, particularly in the second level among the three. Since his parents are busy with work, he often stays at our grandparents' house, and thus, he is absent in playschool many times. 

When I heard that Ye Chan will perform in all his class's events during the talent show, I thought he would simply stand on stage, not knowing what to do due to lack of practice. I imagined that the talent show would simply be full of kids trying to dance and sing whatever they learnt in playschool. However, through different events, I observed that Ye Chan was dancing and singing just like other kids. In fact, in my eyes, he was the best performer of the show. He made people laugh by trying to stand in the center of the stage and amazed me by showing his dancing skills. 

"Ye Chan! Ye Chan!" I found my aunt and uncle cheering for him. When he found his parents cheering for him, he showed a big, lovely smile. And he did the rest of the show even better. 

Maybe Ye Chan does not know yet that his parents had sung special song during the show just for him. Maybe he does not realize how much his parents screamed and cheered for him. But with this unknowing support and encouragement from his family, he did his best and made this show a success as part of the performers. 

Looking at his bright smile on the beautifully-decorated stage, I thought, 'Somewhere somebody is cheering for me. The only way I can return them is happiness through effort.'

ANC 35: Socialization+Responsibility

169. Of all the things you hope or expect to gain from your college experience, which two or three would you place at the top of your list? Explain what you want to gain and why these experiences are most important to you.

Once I get into a college, I want to have more social experiences and get more responsibilities. I believe that college being the place where students learn to face society, I need to ready myself by putting myself in the small society of college.

With different kinds of people, at some point in my life, I'll have to co operate with people who I can never understand. But at the same time, if I really want to be at the apogee in any field, whether in jobs or pride, I need to learn how to balance among different people in the society. I believe that's what social experiences in colleges will help me learn. More importantly, through social experiences in college, I'll be able to gain more friends who would support me in life. Friends are crucial to me; I need them to share what I feel at different curves in life, to encourage me in difficult circumstances, and to rectify when I make mistakes.

This interdependence within socialization requires great responsibilities. Reponsibility comes from trust and honesty from each individual. By having a friend, I have the responsibility to be trustworthy and honest with him or her. In order to develop such responsibilities, I need to learn and experience step by step, starting from school and stepping onto the next level in college.

Learning how to be a helpful and good person in the society is my priority, and that's what I want to prepare and get educated through college.

ANC 34: Hiding in music

222. Where you go to hide and why

Everyone must have experienced a time when they want to move away from all the happenings in life and take a rest in a hiding place that no one can find. I want to hide sometimes when I can't bear with the stress and pressure from the society. I've tried to hide several times but often was caught by others. 

After many trials, I've figured something. There is no place to hide in this world. Wherever it is, people will find out and the hiding place will be lost. Hence, I've come to a good decision. When I want to hide, I play the piano. The music room is not the best hiding place, but it's the perfect place to avoid the stress and pressure. Once people see me playing piano in the room, they'll simply think that I'm practicing and pass me by. They don't interrupt or disturb me. In addition to the advantage of my time without disturbance, when I play piano, I get to enjoy and forget all the stress I've faced. As piano has been my first instrument since I was five years old, I can make my own music as I play without any restrictions which are often shown in music sheets. Through my style of playing, I feel free. 

Rather than hiding in a place, worrying that people will find me, I chose to play piano although people may see me. By exposing myself to people blithely, people will pass me by more often. By playing piano, I feel free. Most importantly, playing piano ultimately enhances improvement in my piano skills: emotions, style, and composing. 

I have no fear to hide now. Instead, I've learnt to bounce back up by playing piano in any situation.

ANC 33: from friendship to memory.

213. When a friend let you down

Having shifted to many places since I was a second grader, I did not get many chances to make friends who've been with me for years. I always envied people having the same friends for many years. They could share everything they experienced to their friends because time makes them know each other better. On the other hand, I knew my friends and they knew me, but they couldn't understand me completely when I talked about the phase of difficulties I faced in my life. 

Nevertheless, God was fair. He gave me a very good opportunity to build up such friendship I desired. On the very first day of my school in sixth grade, new to the class, I quietly sat on an empty chair. The guy in front of me seemed curious about me. We talked for awhile. The conversation was awkward but entertaining. When our class teacher arranged our seats again, we got to sit next to each other. As he helped me adjust to the class, we developed a very tight friendship. Since his name and mine started with alphabets next to each other, we were partners for any activities. We were best friends like that for four years. 

When I shifted school, slowly crevices appeared in our friendship. I could hardly contact him nor could he. Once in a while when we talked on the phone, we did not know what to say other than words of conveying regards. Our friendship was drawn into thin sheets everyday that it almost reached a state of an open circuit. There was no signs of empathy from either of us. 

And last month, I realized that the friendship no longer was intact. He had removed me from his list of friends on a social network website, our only source of contact. I knew that what he did was the best for us: moving forward before we would have ended things in a more complicated and dissatisfying manner. Through this way, we can leave our friendship as a lovely memory that happened some years ago. I did understand him. But at the same time, I was put down. Only if we contacted more often.. only if I had called him more often... only if I made the effort to visit him when I was on my vacations... 

I agree that he made the right choice.  But I can't stop from being reminded of him. I think I can do better if I get the second chance... Will it be too late? 

I miss you, my friend. 

ANC 32: Penguin

173. If you had to describe yourself as an animal, what animal would you select and why?

Cold as winter, I hatched out on this world during the period of cold war between my mom and dad. But in spite of the coldness, I grew up in a warm environment under the wings of my mom. Like a penguin mother carrying her baby on her feet, my mom raised me with care, love and warmth. 

When I was a little grown, around 5 years old, when I could walk and communicate, my mom stopped carrying me on her feet. I was taught to walk my path of life on my own like the baby penguin that was let alone. Through this phase, I learnt to socialize. Known as "the most social of all birds"  (http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/penguin/behavior.htm), the baby penguin faces friendship, enmity, and different curves of life. 

As the baby penguin grows up, it goes through the phase of changing feathers from grey to black in color. Once the penguin has the black appearance, it is called the "Emperor." But in order to maintain that title, it requires to preen its feathers frequently. The same applies to me. I am called an A student by other people. But I need to work in order to maintain that title. 

Without effort and socialization, I am not capable of being at the top just like penguins. 

ANC 31: Recurring dream

242. Describe a recurring dream.

"Ye Jin! Get up. Time for school." I can hear my mom's voice from the kitchen. I lazily opened my eyes. I sighed. I didn't want to get up. Stretching my arms and legs, I rolled myself on the bed. "I'll get up, mom!" I got out of the bed. I went to the bathroom, washed my face quickly, and went to the kitchen. "Good morning, mom! What's today's menu?" I smiled at my mom. But my mom replied: "You need to get up first!" 

Hmm..? What does she mean by that? I'm awake.... wait, what am I doing? I opened my eyes and looked around. Oops, I'm still in bed. I really need to get up. I stretched my arms and legs once again and got out of the bed. I went to the bathroom. In front of the mirror, I opened one of my eyes slowly. It was bright. I opened the other eye with an exertion. In the running water, I washed my face. Feeling refreshed, I wiped my wet face on the towel hung on the wall. "Food is ready. Come and eat right now!" I heard my mom's voice again. I raised my voice to reply, but I couldn't hear my voice. At that moment, I felt my body lying on the bed. I closed and opened my eyes. Oh my God! I am still in bed. That's very weird. I was sure I got out of the bed and went to the bathroom. 

"Ye Jin! You are still in bed? Go and wash your face quickly! You are late!" my mom screamed at me with a nice shot on my hips. "Ouch!" with the voice out of my mouth, my consciousness got out of the sleeping mode, I was really awake. 

ANC 30: Bed time!

237. Describe your favorite time of the day.


I personally think that favorite time of the day changes as I grow up. When I was a little kid, I loved lunch time in school: the time I could eat and play with school friends. After few years, I preferred sleeping night to any other time of the day. 


At present, I like the time just before sleeping. When I lie down on my bed in the silence and darkness, I find serenity. Nothing chaotic is happening. Everyone is asleep at this hour. It's the end of a day and a new beginning of another. Whether I open or close my eyes, I see only darkness. Then I get to think about myself: my day and my behavior. What did I do today? Did I make any mistakes? Oops, I think I did. Would that have affected someone? If so, whom would I have affected and how? Next time I should be more cautious. 

Reflecting myself during the day, I pray for a better behavior the next day with more invigorating incidents. Then I find comfort and peace in me. On the bed, I feel my body loosens and gets new strength. All the stress, pressure, and worries I had today can stay away from me for next six hours when I'm asleep. I'm going to experience the most sweetest time of the day. I might even get to experience things that are impossible in reality. I can imagine. I am free. 

And now, I'm glad that my favorite time of day is approaching! 

Goodnight! 

ANC 29: Internet

232. Ten things you do when you procrastinate.

First of all, I wonder if I even do ten things when I procrastinate. When I procrastinate, time just flies even if I'm not doing anything. But just for the sake of the response, let me think and jot down what I usually do when I procrastinate.

1. "I've had a long day," I think. I look at the clock. "Okay, just one hour of relaxation." And I repose comfortably.

2. During the one-hour repose, I log online. I find that many of my friends wrote to me. I reply back. It turns out they're online! We chat. 

3. Continue chatting. I look at the clock. Oh Shoot! 10 minutes passed the time I thought I would start working. Oh well, I'll take 20 minutes more. Make it whole numbers, it's simpler!

4. I'm feeling hungry! I start looking for food. Oh, there are some yummy chips! I grab and hog. I look at the clock. Hmm dang, I should start another 30 minutes later.

5. New set of friends come online. I haven't talked to them for so long! I wonder how they are doing.... I figure that there's nothing special going on with them as one more hour flies. 

6. I miss old days all of a sudden. I look at pictures. How they refresh my memories! 

7. I get phone calls, or actually, I make phone calls. As I talk to people, time ceases to stop; instead, it flies quickly.

8. Finally, I attempt to read the prompt or the assignment. Wait, what did I read? I go back and re-read it. Wait, what does it mean? How do I do it? I've got no idea! Hmm, I think I should ask some experienced people. 

9. I ask experienced people about the prompt. They have no idea as well!  "Oh wow, guys, don't you think this assignment is so incomprehensible?" "Yeah, it's so weird!" .. that conversation goes on and on. I look at the clock. Oh Jesus Christ! What have I done so long? I need to research online!

10. I sit in front of my laptop with one and only purpose of research. "Pop!" Skype chat appears, and there recurs whole same procrastination! Whoa.. 

Trust me, I don't like procrastinating. It only makes me stay up at night! But yes, I still do procrastinate. That's all the Internet's fault!!