My ILC Experience, From Start to Finish

The first time I heard about the ILC was almost three years ago when I had first moved to California. I was making the effort to learn more about the school and district I would now be attending when I came across one of the blogs from the ILC. Reading through the experiences of some of the past ILCers left me amazed at the type of incredible opportunities students were offered in this district. I desperately wanted to be a part of the program but I found very little about the application process online. 

It wasn’t until last fall, three years later, when I once again encountered the ILC. This time I was being invited to the presentation held by Don where I learned all the details about the program and how to become a part of it. Hearing more about the ILC from Don and some of the ILCers from my school furthered my interest in the program. I knew I had to be a part of it.

Shortly after attending the presentation, Don sent out details for the applications to the first program they would offer, Vanderbilt. I found great interest in the Neuroscience course offered by Vanderbilt and decided to apply. A few weeks after submitting my application, I was ecstatic to find out I had progressed to the interview stage and was one step closer to becoming an ILCer. 

After writing my Vanderbilt essays over winter break, the time finally came for the interviews. I was incredibly nervous the day of my interview. I can remember very little of what was asked and what I said, but it was not nearly as difficult as I imagined. Unfortunately, all of the effort put into the application process didn’t result in my selection in the program. Although I was momentarily discouraged, I knew that I couldn’t miss out on this opportunity so I decided I would apply again, this time to the University of Chicago. 

Once again after the submission of my application, I was chosen to interview for a position in the UChicago cohort. I was so grateful to have been given this chance again. This time around I felt a little more prepared for the interview but walking into the waiting room instantly made the interview process feel different. The competitiveness in the room was very intense. Interview after interview, students came out feeling confident in their responses which made me question how I had done since I felt nowhere near confident. When the panelists came out to read the names of the students they had chosen, I was not expecting my name to be one of them. Thankfully though, the panelists had deemed me worthy of one of the UChicago scholarships. 

The few months after the interviews were spent completing our UChicago applications and attending several meetings for the ILC. First, came the cohort meeting and tutorial where we discussed one of the most important aspects of our journey, blogging. I found blogging very difficult in the beginning and knowing once I got to Chicago I would have to do it every day intimidated me. Now, as I am here writing my last blog I realize how much I have grown since then. I no longer struggle as much with my writing, which I feel has improved since our first blogs. I also realize how cool it is that when I look back on this experience in a few years I will have my first-hand account of every milestone of this experience and everday spent in Chicago.

After the first two events, our cohort attended our first meeting including our chaperone, John, an orientation with our parents, and finally a school board meeting. Through all of these meetings, we got to further bond with each other, our chaperone, and the Vanderbilt cohort. Each event also brought us closer and closer to Departure Day. Closer to the trip where I learned to be a more independent, critical thinking, and dedicated version of myself. 

For everything I learned, I thank Don who puts so much effort into this program which has impacted my life greatly. Thank you for supporting, encouraging, and believing in me even when I found it hard to believe in myself. Thank you for giving me this incredible opportunity of being part of the Ivy League Connection because of which I grew so much.

Through the ILC, I have gained exposure to the college experience I would have otherwise never gotten. I learned the payoff of being dedicated and working hard. Being an ILCer required a lot of effort but looking back at everything, it was completely worth it. I also learned to value the struggle I faced in my course. Struggle at my high school doesn’t come from how rigorous the work is, it comes from how much of it there is. I am so thankful to have finally been exposed to the opposite of that at UChicago. 

I am so grateful for everything the ILC has taught me. This amazing program has changed my life in more ways than one. Thank you, Ivy League Connection!

[MSJ] : An Amazing Experience

The ILC experience didn't start when we stepped on the plane at six in the morning on July 5th. Rather, my journey with the ILC started last fall. I'd seen a poster above the water fountain at El Cerrito High advertising the Ivy League connection. Intrigued, I joined about 100 other ECHS students in the gym. I remember Don sharing the ILC slogan: "When opportunity knocks, some people answer the door while others complain about the noise."

I wasn't going to complain, but I didn't think it was easy to get through the door. In fact, it would end up taking a lot of work. I hadn't realized the full scope of the application procedure: multiple essays, an interview and then the application to UChicago itself. 

From the get-go, organization was key. I had to check emails, read carefully, understand essay prompts or interview questions, and respond appropriately. The essay writing, in particular, was something new. I've written argumentative essays for English class before, but I have never had to introduce myself in 500 words or less. Now I realize that this exercise will definitely help me to prepare for the college application essays next summer, after my junior year.

Our first cohort meeting at Kaleidoscope coffee – so long ago

In a similar manner, before to the ILC application interview, I had never done an interview in my life. The Ivy League Connection provided me with a way to prepare and practice my interviewing skills for the first time. I had to explain my thinking in a short amount of time, in a genuine manner but also elaborating with an example or two. I also learned how to channel my nervousness in a productive way. Those same skills really helped a few months later when I went in for my first job interview. (I got the job!)

Preparing for the trip

After the interviews, we had several group meetings to prepare us for the trip. I remember the first blog I wrote after the Chicago cohort met at Kaleidoscope coffee in Richmond. We set up our blog site, and since then, I've become a more confident writer due to the daily blogs in Chicago. I enjoyed dreaming up catchy blog titles and selecting fun and interesting pictures to show what I was experiencing. Finding the right words was harder, but daily practice paid off.

I have already written so much about the actual experience in Chicago. It was particularly exciting to be around other motivated students from all around the United States - and even from other countries - all who wanted to be there to learn. It was only three weeks, so it was just a small taste of dorm life and the fast pace of college classes, but now I'm looking forward to college in a way I never have before.

I think that the main takeaway is that for me, the ILC represented an amazing opportunity to step up and do something I wouldn't otherwise have done. I hope other students in WCCUSD have the opportunity to have a similar experience. In the future, I definitely would encourage all students to take the time and effort to put forth the best application they can to be a part of the ILC. I will definitely be recommending this to my friends and others in my classes. 

This is Goodnight and not Goodbye

My first encounter with the ILC was early on in the school year. Don came to El Cerrito High to give a presentation in the afternoon of a school day. I must admit, I was not overly enthusiastic about the idea of sitting around and listening to someone speak for an hour or two, especially when it meant having to miss class and do two days of work in the following day. Despite this, I went along with the 200+ other students giving Don a chance to tell them about something they had never heard of before. As you might have guessed, I am so glad I made this decision. I don't actually remember a lot of what Don said that day, as I didn't take notes because I was not planning on applying, but what I do remember is who else spoke. Evan and Javaria, two of the (former) juniors that I respect most, both endorsed the ILC. Now that got my attention. 

I emailed Don expressing my interest in the program and pored over the details of being an ILCer and how to get there. I decided to apply to the University of Chicago program for several reasons: a) the location seemed more interesting, b) my sister's friend is going there and loves it, and c) I liked the look of the courses offered better. I really should have spent more time on my initial essay application, but I thought that the majority of those 200+ students who were there with me that day would apply and there was no chance I would be accepted. I was horrified to hear that only twenty-one students submitted an application to the ILC for the Chicago program. I hoped that it was good enough, and apparently it was, at least just barely. Don decided to pass on an extra person to the interview stage because a few of the essays were in such close competition (though he did not say exactly whose essays these were).

I was even more nervous than the last time around for the interviews, as I am not the most charismatic nor eloquent of speakers (as you probably gathered from this blog). I was sweating bullets in the days preceding the few hours that would decide my fate. However, it was not as bad as I had expected. I had a great evening discussing school and life in general with the other applicants, and the interview clearly did not go that badly if I made it into the top four. After my name was read off, I was elated but simultaneously sad that so many others would not be able to go.

The next step was to actually apply to the University of Chicago Immersion program. The essay requirements were very limiting, but it was a cool challenge to attempt to convey everything I wanted to say about my experiences with math and what I liked about astrophysics in under 1600 characters in each of two essays. After I had submitted those essays and all of the necessary forms, it was on to the first of several meetings with Don and my Chicago cohort companions. 

We met at a cafe in Richmond to talk about what layout we wanted the blog to have and what appearance we wanted to give it. What you are seeing around and behind this text is what we came up with just that evening. 

The next event was the Tutorial, during which Don talked about what we would need for the trip, our responsibilities while away, and how to blog properly. 

The Tutorial.

Pizza to live for.

The next month, my group met (at Zachary's, and yes, it was delicious) without Don but for the first time with our chaperone, John Hillyer (also known as the Admiral), and Jahvni, who had attended the Immersion program at Chicago previously. She gave us a bit of insight into what we should expect from the dorms, the people, and the classes, while the Admiral explained what his role would be while we were all halfway across the country. 

In June, at the Orientation, we met with more people that had gone to Chicago with the ILC in previous years to learn any important pieces of information that we might want to know prior to arriving. 

At the Orientation.

Our final interaction before the day of departure was at a WCCUSD Board meeting, during which we were given a few minutes to impress upon its members the importance of continuing the ILC program into future years. With each meeting, I got to know my fellow ILCers a bit better, and I became a little less nervous about somehow managing to waste this glorious opportunity. 

After the board meeting.

During this process, I feel like I have learned a few crucial lessons. It is important to never waste an opportunity due to laziness, as taking risks like these is what makes life worth something, and sitting around wishing you felt more accomplished isn't. I almost didn't apply to the ILC out of pure laziness. I definitely had enough time, but I just felt little motivation to do so. I am so, so happy that I found that small part of myself that wanted to do something useful during the summer. Second, if you have a weakness that you'd prefer not to have, work at it. I have always had trouble starting my writing. I used to sit for hours, staring at a blank screen, with no idea how to write the beginning, middle, or end of an essay. When I had to blog every day, though, it forced me to just start. Even if I had no idea where I was heading, just writing a few sentences gave me a base to work off of.

It's been great. Thank you all for reading my blogs, it feels quite good to know that someone will listen to what I have to say. Good night!

P.S. The title is a reference to the camp song "Linger".

The Start of a New Journey

Education is the answer to some of the most pressing questions that are left unanswered. Many of the issues that threaten our long-term values of the country from capitalism to healthcare can be solved with an education. What I learned at the University of Chicago does not limit itself to only the Saieh Hall of Economics but allows us to improve businesses, government values, and our personal lives. One of the core reasons as to why I decided to study Economics was so that I could better implement these lessons into my life. 

In Mid-December, Don came over to Middle College High School to inform students about the Ivy League Connection. I remember coming out of the orientation and one of his quotes I recall is, "When opportunity knocks, some people answer the door while others just complain about the noise." I felt at this very moment that the Ivy League Connection was the next step to better my academically and socially. I knew I was going to apply to this program. This is one of the opportunities that I had to grasp. 

The ILC was soon taking in Vanderbilt applications. I remember I was in class when I received Don's email and my heartbeat gradually increased because I was very nervous from that moment forward. I spent hours and hours writing the application but unfortunately, I was not chosen for the interview process. Perseverance, however, is key! I spoke with Don on how I could improve my future essays, and implemented some of his advice onto the Chicago prompt. I was chosen as one of the 9 students for the UChicago interview, and I immediately knew after looking through the course offerings that I wanted to study Economics. While in the interview, I heavily emphasized the importance of Economics in the 21st century and how I can implement it to strengthen our community. As the interviewers announced my name for selection, I texted my family to share this moment of happiness. 

From then on, it has been one heck of a ride with the rest of the ILC'ers. We have attended the tutorial, meet and greet dinner, orientation, school board presentation and finally the University of Chicago. While at the tutorial, I further connected with many UChicago and Vanderbilt cohort. As soon as the school board presentation rolled by, I knew that it was only a matter of weeks before I would depart for the University of Chicago. 

The Board Presentation

People know me as a very energetic person but while at Chicago it was different because I started doubting my capabilities. I had never experienced this sort of rigor ever in a classroom. Economics was completely different! I remember running into some guys taking Molecular Engineering and all of them were stress-free whereas I was running circles back and forth to office hours. The majority of the students had taken Microeconomics and Macroeconomics before whereas I had no experience with Econ whatsoever. At a point, I felt very depressed because I compared myself with every student in the class, and ranked myself at the very bottom. I spent more time studying but still found it difficult to keep up with the pace of the course. As I started talking more to my mentors, they made me realize that everyone has an absolute advantage in something and for me, it was public speaking. While taking the course, I realized plenty of weaknesses whereas other students learned about their strengths. When one reflects upon his/her weaknesses and aims to improve it, that shows progress. Many of the students came to the course knowing what the teacher was going to teach, thus they did not show as much progress as I did. Moreover, from taking the course alone, I realized I should never compare myself with anyone because it is what I take away from the class, not solely my grade. As I am writing this, I can imagine the differences in my personal values as compared to three weeks ago. I have made progress by a long way. 

I, also, learned about the true value of an education in Economics. Before the start of the course, I knew very little if anything about Econ. As the course assignment, the students were assigned to read, The Why Axis, in which the book connects Microeconomics with Macroeconomics. I had always been interested in how the government makes decisions and the book gave a better insight into Macro-level econ. For instance, it gave a real-life example of the reason people discriminate, the incentive to make a profit, and ways to go about solving this on a personal and governmental level. Furthermore, I learned a great deal about how we can go about improving our educational system - which incentives students react to, how students are more focused, etc. Furthermore, the Microecon book discussed how individual agents can make better choices. The topics we discussed ranged from opportunity cost to budget constraints. These topics apply to many of our personal lifestyles and, if implemented correctly, we can make better and optimal decisions. 

Economics!!

Throughout the 3 weeks, I made a lot of friends. Many of my friends had that hunger for success but also a lot of craziness embedded in them. They wanted to be the next CEO's of Fortune 500 companies. In college, you find people that are very similar to you. While many of us were splitting apart, we all felt really sad but these memories that we created in 3 weeks always stay with us forever. Don always asks us to take a ton of pictures and he does so because these are memories we can reflect upon. Looking 10 years into the future, and we are sharing a drink with one of our friends at work or even our roommate, we can reflect upon many of these memories with just a picture in hand. Maybe our group in snapchat won't die out and will remain forever. Maybe we do decide to meet up in the years to come, we are able to reflect upon the videos and pictures we took. The relationships I made while at UChicago are surely going to last a long time.

Two of my very close friends!

I developed a lot of patience while in Chicago. My parents complain to me and tell me about how impatient I am. Everything that Generation Z demands is literally handed to them. I can only imagine the time it took when writing a paper for a class only 30 years ago - going to the library, talking to the librarians, and opening up the encyclopedias - whereas now Google is our librarian, encyclopedia, and research-hub. Relative to my peers, I have not had everything handed to me as I had to work for it from a young age, but even so I lacked a lot of patience. And while learning more about Econ, I developed the skill a lot. I spent hours and hours, something that I am not used to, figuring out a single problem in our Problem Set whereas at my traditional high school the most it took to solve a problem set was only 30 minutes. This difference in learning allowed me to develop patience and a better work ethic by a long way. 

While at UChicago, I read a chapter in the Dalai Lama's book, The Art of Happiness, after Ivan, my very close friend, recommended me to read a single chapter. It talks about the importance of compassion in our everyday lives. We must place ourselves in the shoes of one another and try to understand each other's point of view so we can lift each other up. I reflected back on the many times where Admiral and Don practiced compassion and how it has impacted all of the ILC'ers. From replying to texts near midnight all the way to lending us items, Don Gosney and John Hillyer, have made my transition to UChicago much smoother. Thank you guys! 

The Ivy League Connection has truly impacted my life. From the many skills I developed to the amazing moments I shared with my friends, the ILC has truly stood by me. I am very grateful for the sponsors, West Contra Costa Unified School District, and the people that made this possible (i.e John, Don, etc.). You all can entrust me to communicate many of my experiences and economic knowledge to my peers, family, and my community so everyone has an opportunity to learn.

This is the start of a new journey! Thank you Ivy League Connection! 

The End of Our Trip, But Not Our Journey

The time spent in Chicago for the past three weeks is something I had been looking forward to for a very long time. The process leading up to Departure Day took up months and I spent every waking moment yearning for the lessons I would learn, people I would meet, and the memories I would make while in Chicago. Despite all of the anticipation and planning for the trip, the realization that everything was really happening didn’t hit me until Departure Day when we were standing in the cold in front of El Cerrito High School at 2:00 AM. 

I felt a little nervous since I really didn’t know what to expect but more than that I was really excited. I knew very little about the process of admission into a university and even less about what it was actually like to attend one. Through the ILC, I was given the opportunity to not only visit two top-tier universities but to also spend three weeks taking classes and living on the campus of one of them. I knew this would be an amazing experience that would provide me with invaluable information and I was incredibly excited about it.

My first week at UChicago was one full of ups and downs. In our first couple of days in Chicago, we spent time sightseeing, learning about the city, and visiting the Northwestern campus. Throughout all of these events, I learned so much and had a lot of fun. Arriving at the University of Chicago, settling into the dorms, and meeting the people I would spend the next three weeks with was also really fun. Once class began, sadly, things became a little less fun.

During the first few days of class, I became quite overwhelmed with the amount of new material that was being thrown my way. Once Dr. Fineschi began teaching, I realized I didn’t know many of the basics concepts needed to understand the material. My skills in lab were also lacking. This became frustrating very quickly as I fell behind right out of the gate. Looking back at my frustration, I believe some of it was just me psyching myself out because I knew less than my classmates. Once I sought help from my professor, who was very encouraging and helpful, I began to really enjoy everything I was learning. Lectures became easier to understand and lab was one of the best parts of my day. I am really grateful for having two incredible professors, Dr. Fineschi and Dawn, who taught me so much and always went out of their way to help any students who did not know the material.

Aside from my professors, I also learned a great deal from my fellow classmates and other students in the Summer Session program. All of the students I encountered were so incredibly motivated to do well. In fact, you know how in some classrooms there is that one student that always seems to know the answer, always raises their hand and always goes above and beyond with their work? My class was full of that type of student. I loved being in this kind of learning environment because everyone was extremely hard working which motivated me to work just as hard. My classmates were also great resources to reach out when I was stuck or confused by any assignments. Although most of the time they were extremely helpful, sometimes we made it worse for each other as our class fed each other’s anxieties with doubts about how an assignment was meant to be done. Dawn even said that out of all her other sessions we were the class who stressed most over assignments. Regardless of that, I am happy to have met each and every one of them as they inspired me to work harder. 

I also enjoyed learning from the other students in the summer session program. Getting to establish relationships with people from all sorts of different backgrounds really taught me about myself. I learned how where I am from has shaped who I am and who I want to be. Hearing people aiming for top schools like Columbia and Harvard made me realize just how different our backgrounds are. Just a few years ago when I was living in Iowa, my dream school was Iowa State. My move to California and my trip to UChicago have made me realize just how much is out there. 

Other than this realization, something else I have taken away from those incredible people is amazing friendships that I hope will be long-lasting. Meeting Maria, Adela, and Cecilia were definitely one of the highlights of this trip. Hearing stories from previous ILCers of the friends they had made, made me hopeful that I would find people like that as well but I was still very doubtful that I would. Now having met them, I am so happy that I did since I don’t know what my experience would have been without them. When I was stuck in my dorm room stressed about finishing my lab report they were all very encouraging. Whenever I wanted to go into the city, around campus, or even just to Baker they were always the ones who went with me. Having them really brought my experience to a whole new level and for that, I am forever grateful. 

Having these relationships with everyone was made easy since I lived in the same building and even on the same floor as some of them. The close proximity in which we lived in also allowed me to be more productive when it came to partner or group work. I could easily go up two floors to meet up with my group in order to finish our project. Living in the dorms also helped my individual studying as it was easy to find a quiet place in which I could study quietly. This differed from home as I live in a small house where there is always something distracting me from work. Experiencing campus and dorm life really helped me grow as a person as I had never really been on my own in this way. Through the freedom we were given at UChicago, I learned how to better my time management so I could get my studying and blogging done with enough time to spend with friends. 

My overall experience at UChicago was one of struggle and growth. At the beginning of my class, I was extremely discouraged to see that I was behind most of my classmates. I also struggled with trying to keep up with them. I quickly learned this was not a bad thing as I realized I was struggling because I was learning and growing so much. I also realized even though I was not as knowledgeable or experienced as my classmates, getting to study alongside them was something I should be incredibly grateful for, as I was one of only eight students from our district that got to do so. In the end, I am thankful for everything I was exposed to in Chicago. All of the lessons I learned, people I met, and memories I made are something I will remember for the rest of my life. This trip has truly changed my life and because of that, I am incredibly thankful to everyone who contributed to making this a reality for me.

[MSJ] : How can three weeks feel like forever?

Well, when you're surrounded by smart and motivated people, taking a class that usually contains ten weeks worth of material taught by a UChicago professor, and living in a completely new way on a famous college campus, it happens naturally.

From the day that I first stepped on the UChicago campus, I was amazed at the idea that I would be living there for three weeks. I've been on college campuses before, I live 20 minutes away from UC Berkeley, and we had done a site visit of Northwestern just a couple days prior, but the idea of staying in the residence hall and actually eating in the cafeteria was brand new. This style of dorm life was an amazing experience that I am very glad I got to try before heading off to college for real. Small things, like eating breakfast and taking showers now require some planning. Will there be room in the showers? Do I have enough soap? Did I forget my towel? Is anyone already down in the dining hall eating or should I wait for friends? Some concerns are more serious and some are decidedly less so, but I would not have thought of these things if I didn't have the opportunity to go on this trip.

While I was learning about dorm life, I was also learning every day in the classroom about econ and out of the classroom about time management. Taking a very challenging class in a new environment was, believe it or not, difficult. I found myself studying after lectures a lot more than I do for any of my classes in El Cerrito. I also didn't dread going to class in the morning the way I do sometimes while eating cereal at 7:15 back home. Being able to take a class that I wanted to learn about, coupled with interesting lessons that moved quickly so as not to be boring was amazing, and makes me excited about college in a whole new way. While I learned a lot during lectures, I also had to learn to control myself when it came to homework and readings. Because I would often work in the lounge, full of distractions and reasons to not work, I had to learn to keep myself focused and manage my time effectively to get my work done before socializing.

And finally, this trip helped me meet amazing people. All the students there were intelligent, motivated and happy to be there. They weren't there because they had to be at school, they were there because they wanted to learn more about the subject of their class. I made a lot of friends with really awesome people, and those friendships will last a while.

This trip was an amazing experience from start to finish, and I want to thank the ILC for everything.

Time Changes Memories Don't

As soon as Flight Number 406 was on the runway to head to the Oakland International Airport from Chicago Midway Aiport, my heart beat increased. I felt really nostalgic about my memories but lightly excited because I was going to see my family. My family does not fly often but I felt the same way when we took off from Nepal to come back to the United States, early in 2014. For the past three weeks, Chicago has been my home. As a matter of fact, I made a light joke to my friends where I told them to call me, "The King of the University of Chicago", and the title stuck, for the rest of the three weeks.

The King of UChicago with his two warriors

On the flight back, I looked through all of my Snapchat stories and Instagram posts to question if I was ever going to have such a good time ever again. College is going to be completely different because it is extremely unaffordable whereas this time around all of the trip expenses were covered by the Ivy League Connection to study at UChicago. I looked back through all my memories and I recalled the story of when we were about to head out to UChicago.

At 2:15 AM my parents and I arrived at El Cerrito High School to head out to Chicago. I was pumped, thrilled, and hungry to soak in Economics knowledge, all while establishing long-lasting relationships. At the time, my parents had that very disconsolate yet excited feeling running through their veins. I was completely the opposite; I was very pumped and lightly emotional. Never had I ever been away from both my parents for more than 5 days, whereas this time it was for over 3 weeks. This is what was exciting. From the moment I left, I knew that I was going to develop new skills along the way that I can share with my community, all while having fun.

The first week we travelled around the city, enjoying the beautiful sceneries, and of course the deep-dish pizza the city offers. One of the major highlights of the week was visiting Northwestern University. We saw the pride of the Wildcats, The Rock. While I had this gut feeling that the Rock would be rather boring, it was quite the opposite. I found the history of the Rock to be very unique. Starting as a prank to troll the Freshman class, it later on became a tradition where students are able to draw on to their opinions about various topics of interests, and the art lasts for a day, or until someone else paints on it.

The Rock (not Dwayne Johnson)

Through the first few days, we traveled around the city, learning the Chicago culture. One of the many things I started to pick up was the importance of working out. When we walked only a couple of miles, my body did not support it. Though I take public transportation often, I had never really had to walk far to reach my destination. We were walking 15,000 steps per day when in Downtown Chicago. 

After coming back from this trip and checking the weight scale, I apparently lost 10 pounds in the duration of 3 weeks. I ate less and walked more. 

Besides learning about my body, the first day at the University of Chicago felt great! Gradually, I realized the importance of working with people you don't know or dislike. Regularly, my roommate asked me to step out of the room for a certain amount of hours, which felt uncomfortable. But even so, learning how to solve the issue maturely was significant. Later on, I got my room switched so it would not take away from my study time and everything worked out. It was this initial idea of how to effectively solve problems that I took away during my first week of the Summer Session.

With group members

Furthermore, I worked in a group with students that had an absolute advantage in Econ as compared to me because they had taken Econ courses prior to the start of the class. When working in a group at Middle College, I had always been the one leading the group. This time it felt different because it was quite the opposite. I understood very little because their Economic knowledge was way out of my league. But I slowly learned that I had to work independently before I came to group meetings - review the basic concepts, understand the question intuitively/analytically, etc. It was me having to readjust environments that was difficult. From being one of the top students in the grade to having to better adapt to the University of Chicago's teaching style was difficult. These students came here because they chose to not because they were pressured by their parents. At least for me, I learned that there is more competition that is out there in the world, and I am one of the millions of people that aims to study at Stanford. What makes me unique and different?

I previously mentioned in my last blog about how learning about my weaknesses is better than knowing my strengths. Weaknesses are what I can use to build progress. I realized that mixing intuition with math is way difficult as compared to doing math alone. I have taken Calculus before and I always did horrible in the very word problems on the test. It took me hours before I even understood the question. Because the class did not develop my intuitive side, I struggled a lot in Economics. Essentially I learned that if I was to get into finance, computer science or even economics, I must understand how to intuitively understand word problems and then convert it to a mathematical equation. But it is the "How" that is the problem for word problems. For the next few months, I am going to go through my Economics textbook and solve the word problems at the end of the chapters to make this weakness my strength. 

This is the era of connectivity. Social media applications make it as easy as ever to connect with people, regardless of their distance. In 2009, I remember using Yahoo messenger at my uncle's house to contact relatives in Nepal whereas about a decade later, everyone owns a laptop and communication is as easy as ever with social media applications. In the blink of an eye, I can send a text to one of my friends. My friends at UChicago have a group chat in Snapchat named after me (people call me Theodore over there), Theodore's Homies, where we have sent over 400 texts and 20 pictures in the past 3 days. In our group chat, we have Umer, Checo, Gulli, Julia, and Max. Julia thought of the idea of a group chat and started it from my phone, as soon as we were about to leave UChicago. It feels good to remain in touch even if the program is over. 

The night before we came back to California

From Day One, I have experienced a great change in my life mentality. From eating healthier all the way to learning how to connect with people, the Ivy League Connection has greatly impacted me. As I write this 2000 miles away from Chicago, I feel very nostalgic and saudade. This experience, indeed, has transformed me into a better person. 

At a Middle College class, I mostly sat towards the back because the subjects were easy or they did not interest me whereas here I sat in the front hungry for knowledge, simply because the course was difficult and interested me. I miss Chicago for the skills I developed, the knowledge I gained, and people I met! Hope I see you soon Chicago. :)

Days Past, but Memories Will Last

I don't really know what I expected from the trip to Chicago. I knew that it was an opportunity to show that I had done something worthwhile with my life on college applications, but I really wasn't sure what else to think. I didn't really understand why Don had stressed the importance of going to college in his presentation at El Cerrito High School. I always was sure I was going to go to college, but what I did not realize was how valuable of an experience it can be. Since then, I have realized the differences in social atmosphere, academic rigor, and student interest in learning. 

In terms of social atmosphere, the difference is obvious: you live with the students you go to school and perhaps even attend classes with. I'm a pretty distant person, so it was startling to be so close to so many other people 24/7. Despite my initial surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed this setting. It was much easier to find people to study with, which was amazing for me because I have trouble focusing on work without others to discuss points of confusion with and shame me into doing my assignments. There were also a plethora of people who wanted to go out and experience the city, which made leaving the safety of campus easier because I felt more comfortable roaming around in suspect areas in a group. Three weeks in this environment made me feel more at ease collaborating with others and finding my niche in a large mass of people.

They call the University of Chicago "where fun comes to die" for a reason. The course I took did not have a huge workload outside of class, but the difficulty of the concepts was still a few steps above anything that I had experienced before. It was not just difficulty that had been ramped up, though. The speed of the class was far faster than what I was used to. It made sense, though. We didn't exactly have time to spend a few hours on every single topic (like we usually do at my school) and still expect to extract a meaningful amount of information in fifteen days of class. The one thing that I'm not sure that I liked about the course I took was the lack of reinforcement. We spent very little time actually practicing the ideas we had learned through problem sets or other review. I do not like this method very much, as practice is how I learn best, but I can understand the idea of putting the responsibility on us to test our independence. However, it was a little bit frustrating that we were not even offered resources for review on our own time. That said, it was still a far better class than any I had taken previously. I know it was not nearly as difficult as an actual college course, but now I think I have a taste of what I might be seeing in a couple of years.

The students in the Summer Session seemed much more motivated to work than I had expected. It was amazing to work with people who were actually there to learn and not just mess around (just being the key word there; some were still heavy partiers). When everybody is focused on learning, there is much more collaboration and far fewer distracting side discussions, making for a more productive work environment.

All of these factors contributed towards my excitement for going away to college in two years, and now I am definitely going to put in my maximum effort towards making my college experience all I want it to be.

Back in the Bay

After the three amazing and unforgettable weeks spent in Chicago, yesterday came the day we finally returned to California. My day began early in the morning so I could finish packing and say goodbye to Kathy, my roommate, who had an earlier flight. Every day for the last few weeks Kathy and I have shared the ups and downs of our courses and worked through them together. Knowing I would never have that with her again made her departure sad to witness and her absence left our room feeling eerily empty. Still, I am so happy to have met her and I know we will stay in touch to continue working through our ups and downs.

After saying goodbye to Kathy and finishing my packing, I headed downstairs shortly before checkout time which was at 9 AM. Walking through Campus North for the last time reminded me of all the great memories made there. I recalled everything from the time spent with friends in the Thangaraj lounge to the late nights studying in the West Commons. Remembering these experiences brought a smile to my face as they changed this big strange building into home and me from an overwhelmed and scared student into a motivated and hardworking one. 

Everyone waiting in the lobby of Campus North

In the lobby, I met up with Adela, who would also be leaving soon, and Maria, who had one more day before her class ended but was waiting to send us off. We spent our last few moments together eating breakfast and remembering our favorite memories of the program. Sadly, the time soon came to say goodbye when Adela’s chaperone came to take her to the airport and Maria had to head to class. We gave each other goodbye hugs, told each other how much we would miss one another but promised to keep texting. 

After they had both left, I met up with Maxime, Shreejal, and Isaac to wait for John and the shuttle that would take us to the Midway airport. Once the shuttle arrived, we loaded our luggage and spent most of our time on the ride to the airport reflecting on our experiences made here in Chicago. At the airport, everything went off without a hitch. We checked our luggage, went through security, and got something to eat before finally boarding the plane home. 

Once we landed in Oakland, our trend of everything going great in airports continued. We got our luggage and boarded the shuttle that would take us back to El Cerrito High School. On the ride there, I admired the beauty of the Bay and realized just how happy I was to be back in it. 

My mom and I

Upon our arrival at El Cerrito, I was welcomed by my mom who gave me a big hug as soon as I stepped off the shuttle. My mom means the world to me and has been with me through everything. Finally getting to be with her brought me a great sense of relief and happiness because I was finally home. 

We were also welcomed home by Don who ended our trip in true ILC fashion, by taking pictures.

Our last cohort picture

Veni, Vidi, Vici

Campus North Residential Commons, where I stayed.

It was the final day at the University of Chicago, and I'm not entirely sure what I'll miss the most. There were so many things to love about being there. The people, the independence, the academics the scenery, the new things to do and explore every day were all contributing factors in making my memories of my time in Chicago something I will cherish forever. I'm usually not the most emotional of people, but the thought that I could never relive these three weeks brought a tear to my eye. My sister thought I would miss home after being away from the house for five weeks for the first time (two at a summer camp before the Chicago Immersion program), but I didn't, surprisingly. The only thing that I missed was my family. Home is not where the hearth is. You can learn to like any place you may stay, but people are what makes you love it. Home is where your family is, where your friends are, or wherever the people are that make your life unique.

One of my favorite spots on campus.

Anyway, enough with the sentimental stuff (did I mention that I'm bad at dealing with emotions?), and onto what actually happened. I woke up at 7:30 in the morning to have breakfast with and say my goodbyes to people with early flights. It's rather sad that I met few people from California, as I find it unlikely that I will be able to see the people scattered across faraway states again. Well, that is what texting is for, I suppose.

My friends took off at 9 to O'Hare, which left me a while to clean out the room, make sure I had everything, pack up, and head downstairs to check out before the Admiral came to pick us up at 10:30. I was ready at 9:40, so I took the extra time to explore campus and get my dad the Cards Against Humanity expansion pack that I had taken note of when we all went to get sweatshirts and check in with the Admiral. It is kind of stupid that I chose to explore twice in the 24 hours before I left instead of doing it early on so I had an idea of what cool places I could go to study or hang out. Better late than never, though, right?

The main plaza.

John came a little bit later than expected, as the driver had gotten lost, but we still had a huge time cushion for our flight at 1:20. The drive to the airport could not have been more than a half hour, and we shared with each other what we had thought of the Immersion program and Chicago in general. There were virtually no lines, which was kind of surprising for a Friday, but I guess people just like to fly out in the afternoon. Checking baggage and security were a breeze, and we had plenty of time to eat lunch and relax before boarding began.

The flight was around three hours, which still amazes me. We flew across two-thirds of the country, and it felt longer the last time I went there. I watched a few episodes of The Office and slept for an hour or two before we arrived.

Home sweet home.

Our shuttle was waiting for us as we arrived, and it was nice to have all of that space to ourselves. After another 30-40 minute drive, we were finally home. Or at least close to it. My house is only a few blocks away from El Cerrito High. We greeted our parents, took a few photos, and departed. I hung out with my parents for the rest of the day and talked about all everything that I had done and saw and learned. I wish my sister could have been there too, but sadly she was away, working at the camp that I had just left a few weeks prior. That's all I have for you right now, but there will be two more blogs, which you should check for on Tuesday and Thursday. Good night!

Thank You Ivy League Connection

As soon as my parents pulled up in our red Toyota Corolla, a tear rolled down my eyes. My dad was driving and my mom was in the front passenger seat. As soon as they made a U-Turn to the loading zone, my mom wiped her tears, thinking I would not notice. My dad did the same. The last time I recalled my father having teary eyes was in 2014, when we were coming back from Nepal.

My parents are my world.

Frankly speaking, the past 3 weeks have been the best 3 weeks of my life. People back in the dorm vibe a lot with my energy, and relate to many of my political opinions. I can't imagine that we were selected as ILC'ers over 5 months ago. Ever since I got selected, I felt as if I was ready to head out and explore Chicago, as a University of Chicago Maroon! And having experienced it all, I have achieved another level of confidence and hunger. This level is 10 times stronger, though. I feel as ready as ever to go out there to the real world and conquer. 

My parents, repeatedly, tell me that in a tolerant America, one's racial, or financial background should not pose a barrier to success. They are undoubtedly right. My friends back in Nepal could hope that these opportunities are the ones that they would receive. They have the same hunger, desire, and passion but are posed with political greed and financial instability that undermines their real potential. Being in America, I feel as fortunate as ever. My parents surely would not have been able to spend thousands and thousands of dollars, all while coordinating the trip but Don managed to do everything. He has mentored me from Day One to make my transition easier to UChicago. 

Don Gosney (I realized I did not have a photo with him)

Love and compassion can't translate to a monetary value, thus I can't repay Don back but I definitely can and will shower him back with the same love that I have received over the past 6 months. Compassion, as Dalai Lama mentions in his book, The Art of Happiness, is when one feels another's suffering and wishes to end it. Take a boulder of rock, as an example. If there is a boulder of rock crushing someone, an empathetic person would feel the rock, crushing his or her chest whereas a compassionate person would do all he or she can to end his or her suffering. That is what Don has done. No matter how big the problem is, he has stepped into my shoes, and done all he can to help me out. When we were going to Chicago, he lent us loaner items to borrow and gave us FREE money. And when we were at Chicago, being over 2000 miles away, when we texted him he replied instantly, to make sure everything was going well. Now that I am back in California, it is my duty to do the same. Anyone who gives me the opportunity to learn or gives me an education is one who I really idolize. My parents received minimal education, and that's what gives me the feeling that I have to push myself to achieve my parent's vision. One who eases my road to my parents and my vision is one who I can call a true friend. 

Apart from growing a few centimeters, I have noticed many changes, after I came back to California. I am starting to understand what compassion actually is. I recall plenty of memories when my sister cried because much of her coursework was difficult or some of our family problems questioned her success, but I felt that she did that to gain sympathy. Now, learning what compassion actually means, I have grown and realized that I have to put myself in her shoes. My friends at UChicago are very diverse. Some of them are as energetic as I am or even emotional as my sister is. Now, being able to explore much of the hidden parts of people's lives, I can relate even more to people on a personal basis. Though I can't call myself completely a compassionate person, I certainly can say that I have developed a lot of it, due to my experience at UChicago. 

Being happy with progress is second on the list. The school system is structured like a hierarchy - some are top and some are bottom. At Middle College, academically, I felt that I was on the very top. I compared myself relative to every person I met, thinking that life was more of a competition than a truly valuable experience. Now, I had to step out of my comfort zone. Frankly speaking, in Economics, relative to my classmates, I was on the bottom 25% of the class. I knew nothing. They spoke with large phrases - Risk Aversion, Marginal Cost Carve, Average Variable Cost,  etc. - whereas I barely spoke because I knew very little. These student's parents went to the top schools in the nation - Stanford, Harvard, Yale, etc. whereas my parents only graduated high school. This is what I was doing incorrectly - comparing myself relatively to every single person I met. A class is not about your grades but your takeaway. Whereas some students realized their strengths and were very happy, I realized my weaknesses and I am even happier. Progress is better than having an absolute advantage. If I can achieve X amount of tasks with minimal resources then that is much better than having every single resource given to you, all for free. I want to improve upon my weaknesses. Originally, I was planning to study Computer Science and Finance but for the sake of it, I think we are going to have to add Economics to that list. 

I redid all of my Problem Set for the exam

Adaptability is the third core take-way through the Ivy League Connection. At home, I did things a certain way. Over at Chicago, I had to adapt. My parents have always done chores at home, folded my clothes, and did my laundry so it would not take time away from my education. At UChicago it was different because I had to find the right balance; I had to adapt quickly to the given situation, something that I was not completely used to. Both my parents were not there. As difficult as it felt, I had to essentially manage my own time to do my laundry, fold clothes, do small chores, socialize and more importantly learn. The practice of adaptability, indeed, has made me a better person. 

Professor Min

There are many valuable experiences I took away from Chicago. I have realized that my parents mean everything to me. As soon as I hopped in the car heading home, we discussed life. They are getting older, and I am finally growing up. As much as I want to stay as a kid forever, the truth is I CAN'T! It is time to use the opportunities given and change the world for the better. 

When there is gender inequality that threatens many of the people in my home country, it is time for me to step in. When there is price discrimination that adds to capitalism and takes away from the poor, it is time for me to step in. When there is a big education achievement gap (due to minimal financial resources for a family), it is time for me to step in. This Econ intuition that Professor Min repetitively talks about does not limit itself to the classroom, but rather expands to the world. One person can change the world. 

Thank you Ivy League Connection for this experience. I am truly grateful. 

[MSJ] - Day 23: The End of a Journey

My and others' luggage in front of the elevator
(the guy checking his bags is Jeffrey)

Yesterday was the last day of an awesome trip. I started the day by finishing packing up. It was strange to see my room bare again, reminding me of the way it was when I first arrived. With all my stuff packed up, I brought my luggage to the lounge and said goodbye to people as they left. Checkout was before 9, and we were leaving at 11, so I was chilling in the lounge for a little while, seeing people off. A little before 9 I brought my luggage down with some friends who were also going to wait before leaving. I said my final goodbyes to my friends and my RAs, then Shreejal, Kayla, Isaac and I popped into the uber that John had arrived in.

Rylee and I wearing our UChicago hoodies

There wasn't any bad traffic on the way to the airport, and we arrived relatively quickly. We checked our bags in and went through security without any problems. Coincidentally, our flight left 20 minutes after Rylee, and so I ran into her at her gate while we were looking for food.

The Bay Area from the air

I then had a delicious (like possibly the best I'd ever had) pulled pork sandwich, which I ate while waiting for boarding at the gate. The flight itself was longer than I thought, but I slept for most of it which made time go faster, and for the rest of the flight I took advantage of the in-flight entertainment offers to watch "Shaq does Shark Week". Not the most intellectually stimulating show, but definitely interesting enough for the last hour of the flight.

After landing safely, we picked up our luggage and hopped on the shuttle that would take us back to El Cerrito High. The brief amount of time between the airport doors and the shuttle was enough to remind me of the difference between a Chicago summer and a Bay Area "summer", and I was glad for my UChicago hoodie. I was designated the "official texter" for the journey back, which meant that I was responsible for sending Don texts as we approached El Cerrito, albeit slowly due to the heavy Bay Area traffic.

Getting back in front of El Cerrito High and taking pictures meant that we had come full circle from the cold foggy Thursday morning when this all started. Tired, hungry, but extremely satisfied from the trip I had just taken, I was on my way home for the first time in three weeks.