College Admissions Essay: Teaching Wisdom

Teaching Wisdom

Every morning in my homeroom, my principal performs the announcements. In his announcements, he updates the school on the activities that are going on that day. After his update, he continues on the intercom system to do the "Words of Wisdom" (Project Wisdom). This has made a great difference in my life.

During the [Project Wisdom] program, my principal tells us a quote then he goes on to explain it. For example, he would say, "Danny Thomas once said, 'Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." This quote hit me like a thunderbolt. I was constantly thinking about it. Then I saw homeless people while I was walking home from school. I thought of nothing but the quote, so as I got closer to the homeless people, I pulled out my wallet and gave them a ten dollar bill. The feeling I got when the homeless people looked at me is indescribable. After this experience, almost every time someone is in need of something, I give or at least try to give them what they need because of the self-content it brings me. The "Words of Wisdom" program made a difference in my life by helping me discover that it feels good to serve others.

Another example is when my principal was doing [Project Wisdom] and he said, "'The position of the earth is changed by the weight of a tiny bird resting upon it,' said the famous Leonardo da Vinci." The first thought that entered my mind was, "What was the point of that quote?" But the more I thought about it the more I began to realize what da Vinci was saying. If a little bird - a small portion of mass - can change the position of the earth, then little things can make a difference. For example, I used to always be selfish. I mean, when I opened the door to enter or exit a building I would let the door slam on the other person's face. I had a total disregard for other people. Now, I am nice. I care a lot about others. When I enter or exit a building now I hold the door open for the next person to enter or exit. There was this one woman who seemed like she was always in a bad mood.