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Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they
believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then
please share your story.
I ran straight to my room. After I quickly grabbed the scissors from my mom’s drawer, I
ran to the closest bathroom. I looked hard into the mirror and ran the scissors through my
hair as hastily as possible. I didn’t think about anything; I just wanted the agony to end.
It all started on the bus ride home. Sitting there, I felt something hit my head. I touched to
see what it was. It was a piece of gum, and it wouldn’t come off. Everyone was laughing at
me. I was tired; I was tired of everything. Ever since I came to high school, people saw me
differently because I never cut my hair. In my religion, Sikhism, I have been taught that
God gave us hair to cherish it. In addition, my dad wore a turban and had a long beard.
Therefore, I began to become used to comments like, “are you related to Osama?" or “was
your father responsible for 9-11?" As a result, I constantly wondered what God was
punishing me for.
Flashback to after I cut my hair: I came out of my bedroom from knee-length hair to
shoulder-length hair. The minute I walked into the room, I saw my mother’s face
completely drop from a happy expression to one filled with disbelief. My father had no
