Cornell Common App Supplement Essay #2

GoPeer
GoPeer
Sep 7, 2018 · 3 min read
This essay was written by a GoPeer tutor.

On a July evening two summers ago, I sat in a lean-to (a three-sided shelter) along Maine’s portion of the Appalachian Trail. A thru-hiker trudged past our campsite, his feet sliced raw by blisters accrued during his two thousand mile walk from Georgia. Between the austere conditions, dreary monotony, physical stress, and financial expenses, the difficulties of his trip seemed to clearly outweigh any benefits. Yet he, and countless others bound for Mount Katahdin, persisted in this seemingly irrational behavior. I recall thinking, “Why?”

Since that moment, I have kindled an intense, intellectual curiosity regarding the question of why humans voluntarily venture into the wilderness. In Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, I will have the freedom and opportunity to examine this interest, and many of my other passions, through a fundamentally interdisciplinary lens.

I seek to discern the psychological and neurocognitive processes behind human attraction to the wilderness: to discover the rationale behind the irrational. By majoring in Psychology or Biology with a concentration in Neurobiology and Behavior, I hope to explore this relationship. I am especially fascinated by Professor Gary Evans’ Introduction to Environmental Psychology course, which examines how the environment influences human behavior. With a minor in Cognitive Science, I could even design my own independent study track to explore this interest in greater depth.

With the College of Art and Science’s array of over 2,000 courses, I hope to also engage this fascination from a humanities perspective. Within the History Department, I will learn from Professor Aaron Sach who has authored sixteen publications about humankind’s ecological relationship with nature, and the cultures of nature within the nineteenth century. In this endeavor, satisfying The College of Arts and Science’s distribution requirements will be a byproduct of my multifaceted curiosities.

Just like the College of Arts and Science’s campus, which is comprised of both historic and futuristic buildings, I hope to gain an education which allows me to combine observation with innovation. I am interested in applying what I’ve learned to build and create — whether it is an article, essay, or new policy in student government which I can then share with the larger community. This interest, I have found, is common in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences. Psychology majors have graduated to become CEOs of international food corporations and Biology majors have become leaders of Biotech companies. As a student in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, I hope to emulate these paths. In this effort, I can design an independent study with the Department of Government to explore the American Wilderness Preservation System and our executive branches for environmental responsibility, or work with local communities through the Cornell Public Service Center.

I also hope to pursue my keen interest in environmental sustainability. As a global leader in sustainability research and engagement, Cornell will provide unparalleled resources for my exploration. With 475 sustainability courses, over 40 sustainability student organizations, cutting edge environmentally-friendly infrastructure, and 4.7 million dollars in funding for the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, I will be able to become involved in and outside the classroom. In addition, I hope to study and experience Ithaca’s renowned local ecovillage through Cornell’s Center for Transformative Action.

In the College of Arts and Sciences, I will have access to an education which not only engenders interdisciplinary learning, but also encourages its students to engage with the world around them. Four years into the Active Learning Initiative, the College is a national leader in active education. From capstone projects to case studies in both the STEM fields and now the humanities departments as well, I will not just accumulate information. Amidst the breathtaking waterfalls of Ithaca and the company of brilliant peers and professors, I will have the incredible opportunity to deeply explore my fascinations, experience my studies, and apply my findings to a global context.

GoPeer

The GoPeer Blog is the official blog of GoPeer, a company which connects K-12 students to college students for in-person tutoring lessons.

GoPeer

Written by

GoPeer

Find college students to tutor K-12 students.

GoPeer

GoPeer

The GoPeer Blog is the official blog of GoPeer, a company which connects K-12 students to college students for in-person tutoring lessons.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade