The Quest for Clarity

     Prompt: HMC's collaborative community is guided by our mission statement. Through an intentional interdisciplinary curriculum our students seek to build a skillset adaptable to society's needs. How has your own background influenced the types of problems you want to solve, the people you want to work with, and the impact you hope your work can have? (500 words). ***********************************************************************************     "Bruh, how am I gonna answer this prompt?", was my first reaction after reading the HMC prompt. I didn't even know where to begin. I didn't have a background! I don't know what problems I want to solve! I have no idea who I would want to work with and what my work would potentially do! And I have to write a total of 500 words!?! Believe me, it was a dreadful experience trying to think of any idea at all. The cursor on the top-left side of my document would blink second after second, each blink reminding me

            Life offers countless experiences.  Unfortunately, I’m only human like everyone else and can only go down my own self-driven path.  But this limitation is a blessing in disguise – that is what makes life so mysterious and exciting!  If we could foreshadow what would happen in the future, that would demean the experiences we have along the way. For this reason, I am so thankful to be part of 11AP English.  I cannot begin to explain the numerous topics, motifs, stories, images, essays, and more that helped me develop a stronger understanding of my life.               I would like to start off by expressing my gratitude to F. Scott Fitzgerald for writing the Great Gatsby.  Words cannot describe how enchanted I was by the mysterious nature of Gatsby.  The fearless chaser of the greatest dreams has inspired me to do the same, not that I would like to go down the same fate, but to enjoy and appreciate life in the moment and continue to aspire the unknown futures.  Thank you for n

       The use of photography and videography has been continuously advancing our understanding of the world and ourselves, having the power to capture reality in a fixed frame.  However, when it comes to violent photos and documentations, I wasn't fully prepared for the onslaught of nightmares I would experience.     As an engineer, my father loves solving unfathomable problems and mysteries, and some of his favorite sources of entertainment are murder mystery documentaries from shows like Forensic Files and airplane disasters/Mayday specials found on YouTube.  Little did I know, his fascination with these violent graphics would imprint deeply on my psyche, shaping my daily behavior with constant fear.  As a child, I couldn't help but eavesdrop into the speaker of my dad's phone.  "How could I miss out on such a significant story?", I thought to myself.  I couldn't let the opportunity pass. I had to hear the climax of the documentary.       However, the traum

      In "The Virgin and the Mousetrap," Chet Raymo explores the battle between danger and innovation in scientific discovery.  While the narrative primarily focuses on radioactive materials, the theme can be seen upon various fields where the pursuit of knowledge is intertwined with risk.     One such arena is space exploration, where the quest to reach beyond Earth's atmosphere has often been deemed outlandish.  From early expeditions shut down by technical failures to more recent tragedies like the Challenger and Columbia disasters, the journey to the stars has been marked by sacrifice.  Yet, our understanding of the cosmos have been caused by eye-opening breakthroughs in technology, such as the Mars Rover mission.  The vast and never-ending excitement of discovery in space exploration has enhanced our understanding and our capabilities beyond our planet, which is an amazing feat.     Similarly, the field of genetic engineering presents ethical dilemmas and potential h

      The concept of self-control has been the most interesting yet mind-boggling mystery to me for many years, and I think the complex nature of this concept transcends facile explanations that requires a deeper look into human behavior.  And as I write this blog post, I am still unsure and lost in the forest of what to claim given the complex spectrum of possibilities. However, given the captivating nature of this subject, I still feel inclined to write and share about my opinion of self-control (even if it may not be accurate), and its several possible factors that stems from the human theme of threat since the beginning of our existence.     Among the challenges life brings us, the fear of losing control looms large.  From struggling to meet basic needs to facing societal pressures, everyone feels threatened in their own way.  Even those who seem to have it all can’t escape the anxiety of maintaining their status.  This fear has been with us since ancient times, shaping our instinc

      One phenomenon in the broad landscape of social media has been the rise of cancel culture, which is the outcome of halting support for an individual based on their controversial words or actions.  But is this what really happens in the aftermath? Surprisingly, the clash between celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and the outspoken Vegan Teacher was a massive success, with not only one but both sides gaining popularity over the controversy.     The battle between the two individuals began when the Vegan Teacher criticized Gordon Ramsey for his dietary choices about eating animals.  However, her arguments devolved into personal attacks over time, calling him as the "devil" and a "psychopath".  Unsurprisingly, the Vegan Teacher received backlash from her criticism of Gordon Ramsey, with most of her videos receiving a massive dislike ratio and hateful comments.          However, what's striking is Ramsay's response - or lack thereof - to the onslaught.  Instead o