Bringing Languages to Life: College Admission Essay Sample

Drenched in sweat, I was more than ready to hop on the last subway to my hotel. Suddenly, a hand grabbed my shoulder. With my tiny fists clenched, I braced for a fight as I slowly turned around. And there, I saw a mob of Asian grandmothers."Ni hao! Ni zhi dao Jinmen daqiao zai nar?" one asked. I relaxed, relieved that I would live another day. But a new challenge faced me: answering back in Chinese.A simple question - where the Brooklyn Bridge was - turned into a puzzle in my brain. My Korean mother and Chinese father have nurtured me relentlessly to teach me their mother tongues. At the age of five, I had mastered three languages. But as I grew older, bits and pieces of the language vanished from my mind. I was nervous. My voice shook as I took out my map and pointed to our current location, guiding my finger along to the destination as I explained which trains to take. Although a bit rusty, I was surprised at how naturally the words rolled off my tongue. They looked at me with a bright smile and gave me a thumbs up saying, "Xie Xie! No worry. Your Chinese good."I had succeeded. That nerve-racking evening two summers ago gave me an opportunity to utilize my ability to speak three languages. Since then, I have indulged myself in language, tirelessly attending weekend classes to expand and perfect that knowledge to help others in need. This skill has proven useful while volunteering at various hospitals, where doctors led me to patients in need of translation. The patients’ eyes would automatically light up as they saw me walk through the door. I sympathized as they would often rant to me about how different things were in America and how frustrated they were that no one could understand them. With each language I acquire, I take on a new identity. With just one word, I connect with complete strangers and find comfort in knowing that we share a common culture.