Personal Review: Dune As A Freshman In High School

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When I picked up the novel Dune as a freshman in highschool, I expected another generic sci-fi story filled with the classic super-powers and interstellar-travel. Admittedly I looked forward to these tropes, but reading Dune was an unanticipated intellectual experience. The novel’s protagonist, Muad’dib, struggles against the rule of a galactic-wide feudal government and in order to succeed he becomes learned in many disciplines. After emerging victorious he reflects “It 's shocking to find how many people do not believe they can learn, and how many more believe learning to be difficult.” Although the words came from a fictional character, the weight carried in this observation prompted me to consider its application to my own life. What it …show more content…

So, you shouldn’t be too surprised when I have friends stop by to have some food and relax. Furthermore, because of the incredibly diverse amalgamation of nationalities and cultures I experienced at international schools, I greatly appreciate diversity not only in culture but also in thinking. Knowing Stanford to be a diverse school as well, I hope you’ll also share a few elements your own cultural background. I promise not to play loud music, to wake you up when you oversleep, and to also engage in conversations as thought provoking as they are funny. I look forward to meeting you …show more content…

The welfare of my family matters to me because of the love I feel for them and all that they’ve provided me throughout my life. At the same time, the welfare of others is something I’ve grown to value living in developing countries, where I’ve been immersed among people in economic and living conditions less fortunate than my own. In Dakar, Senegal, for example, water available to its inhabitants is rarely safe for drinking but I still had access to clean, filtered water. Moreover, I’ve been greatly impacted by experiences like observing my local shopkeeper’s humble living conditions and the gratitude shown by my school 's maintenance staff for the clothing drives we organized. Having witnessed this kind of disparity in several countries, I’ve developed a deep regard for the welfare of others on both a local and global level. As a result, I endeavor to look beyond myself towards the welfare ofdsaff people as a