University of Pennsylvania — Mathematics

Exhilarating! The only word I can use to describe my first dive at the age of twelve. I waded into the pristine Maldivian waters, my dive training coursework freshly learned, and a million questions in my mind. Would I manage to equalize? If something went wrong, could I handle it? As our dive group descended, I was immersed in color and vibrance, until I was suddenly engulfed in complete darkness. The diver in front of me had accidentally kicked off my goggles! All my previous apprehensions came flooding back. Trying to fight off the panic, I used my breathing to find focus. I recalled my training, put my goggles back on and cleared the water from them just as I had been taught. This memory now comes back to me every time I feel I am in a challenging situation – a tough test, a piano recital or even my SATs – and I manage to calm myself in the same way.

A year later, I found myself in Florida about to dive down to the shipwreck Ana Cecilia. After a description of the adverse conditions, including the strong Gulf Stream current, the negative descent technique, and the possibility of missing the dive site altogether, I had the option to stay on the boat. However, I eagerly jumped at the opportunity. Going down quickly, in a strong current without guidance from the group was disorienting, but I was mesmerized by the massive hull of the shipwreck. Then, the current took over and I felt myself being pushed away from the wreck and my group. I struggled to control the situation, holding my goggles to keep them from flying off, afraid that I would be separated from the others and shoot up to the surface, which would have been very dangerous. Painstakingly, I fought the current and rejoined the group. This incredible dive taught me the importance of stepping outside my comfort zone. Similarly, at school, I have pushed myself academically by taking some of the hardest courses.

Closer to home, I pursued a rescue diver certification in the Andaman Islands. It was a detailed course conducted in torrential rain and I was relieved to finally go for a fun dive. While enjoying the marine life, I saw a diver face down in the sand, unmoving. Shocked and terrified, I rushed to check if he was breathing and attempted to remember everything I had learned on the course. I struggled to bring the diver to the surface and swam with him towards the boat while removing his heavy dive gear and giving him rescue breaths. On the boat, I was about to retrieve the emergency oxygen kit when I realised that this had all been part of a final surprise test! The diver was pretending to be unconscious, and I had passed my rescue certification with flying colours. This experience showed me that I could keep a clear head during unexpected situations and systematically work through them.