An Epiphany on College Hill Merudh Vijay Patel

As I stood in front of the fourteen-story Sciences Library, a crisp autumn wind blew across my face. I felt the biting cold rush across my cheeks as the trees lining my path rustled in the gust. I reflected on the campus scene around me and I had an epiphany: there is nowhere else in the world where I would prefer to spend the next four years of my life. At that moment, I realized Brown University was the ideal school for me. I felt certain that Brown would both enhance my intellect and quench my thirst for new experiences. Walking from the library towards the Admissions Office on the corner of Prospect Street, I began to envision the treasures that I would discover in the heart of Providence.

Over the previous months, I had asked current Brown students an endless series of questions, and I noticed that many students shared a driving passion for their individual interests. I found their common desire to explore unknowns and their unwavering confidence in the excellence of the university truly remarkable. My conversations with these students nearly convinced me to attend Brown, but I was still unsure that Brown could supply the array of experiences which I longed for.

When I reached for a Brown brochure to learn more about the...