To Make the World a Better Place I developed a strong sense of social responsibility at Brown, partly because of the politically interested student body, and partly because I decided to focus on political science with a focus on political theory. I chose this topic because it was the one that made me think the most and gave me the most energy. My heart beats faster when I hear something new and compelling in class; the satisfaction I feel in writing a successful analytical article is, for me, proof that I have chosen wisely. I have also chosen a topic that seeks to answer, or at least ask, what are, in my opinion, some very difficult questions, about justice, about human nature, and about the way we live our lives. Brown has been an academic dream come true for me, providing me with intellectual challenges and exposing me to what I believe are some of the most important issues we face as a society. I have always been a school person and Brown was my ideal school. Despite my general academic zeal, I decided not to write a thesis. I have always considered the thesis the culmination of a university career, but lately the idea has become much less attractive to me. Maybe it's because I went abroad in Sweden this semester and facing non-academic challenges made it clear to me that personal success can be much more important than academic success. Maybe it's because I'm thinking about graduating in a year and realize that my real-world experience is pretty limited. My extracurricular interests have also shifted focus. Throughout high school and my first two years at Brown I was heavily involved in theater; it's certainly a place to build a reputation and can be a useful tool for social commentary. However, I began to feel that I was living in some sort of privileged dream world; I needed to give back something more substantial than a good show. Last summer I taught children with learning disabilities and last semester I volunteered at a preschool. I'm currently looking for a job in politics this summer and hope to use my time next year working on a large public service project (yet undetermined). I feel extremely fortunate to have studied at Brown and believe it is my duty to try to make the world a better place with the knowledge and skills I have acquired.