Shreya

Success is desired by many people. It requires hard work, patience, and time. Using experiences from the past is helpful, because moments from history can shape a personality. Occasionally, there are times in life when a person has worked extremely hard in order to achieve a goal. That experience most likely taught the person to work hard. He should not let go of that memory, for it has taught him an important lesson.
 * SAT Essay **

When I had to take the PSAT to get accepted to a magnet program, I needed to be patient. My experiences from the past helped incredibly, because I knew that everything would pay off. I had learned not to give up. There were plenty of hardships, but with perseverence and memories, I had motivation and I was successful.

However, the past is not always helful. Sometimes, one has made mistakes in the past, and he needs a fresh start. But every mistake is a stepping stone. Mistakes provide a learning tool; something that one can look back on and use to improve the future.

All in all, memories do not hinder people in their efforts to accomplish. Memories only help; they are a way to avoid making the same mistakes. Without a past, there is no future. //If I could change a few things, I would elaborate a bit more and reduce the repetitiveness. I feel like I'm repeating the same thing over and over. I would also include more examples.//

**College Essay** I chose topic 8 for my essay because I feel like it will be the one that I will able to connect to the most.

Often, names portay a personality. They have their own mysterious realities, and they give a person character. Names are unique most of the times. They can be made unique by altering spelling and pronounciation. Different cultures have different names, and they have rare meanings to them. A name can represent anything: from trees and nature to spices and characteristics.

Shreya means favorable in the Indian language, Sanskrit. This name represents my personality pretty well, because usually I’m polite to everyone and I am a quiet and calm person.

Uniqueness plays an important role for names. I feel a sense of ownership for my name. It is uncommon; therefore, no one mixes my name up with someone else’s. When I meet someone who shares my name, I feel a connection with that person. Sometimes, that person shares interests or personality traits with me. However, not everyone who is named Shreya will have things in common with me.

In fact, the name, Shreya, was chosen by my parents when I was born. I feel as though my name is a very special one. I receive many comments regarding the distinctiveness of my name. Similar to every other name, my name has power. It expresses individuality: something that is hard to express

Thus, names are matchless. A name is like a face; it is irreplaceable. Names identify not only a person’s outer image but also their inner selves.

**﻿A Zoom Lens**

 Tapping the large stick on the ground, the old man wobbled and staggered down the rocky, yet smooth road. Surrounding the man were the hoots of owls and a dark and gloomy sky. The only light available was that of the soft yellow moon. But that didn't make any difference to the man. He was blind, for he had lost his eyes while helping England and King George. A bandana protected the man's eyes, and a cape covered his back. It was starting to get cold, and the man started to shiver. He needed to find shelter. Due to his lack of sight, the man found nothing, The eerie and chilly night became the man's enemy as it swallowed him alive.

**My Favorite Place**

I lived in India until I was 10. We used to move from place to place, and the last place I lived in before coming to the United States was an apartment complex. This particular house would be located in a city near Mumbai. Mumbai had been my home for 9 years, so moving to another city was a difficult transition.

Having a tennis court and a swimming pool, the complex was gigantic. There was an information center at the entrance, and as you drove further, there was the tennis court, then the park was next to it. The pool, located behind the park, was very popular, but I never went there. The buildings were the tallest ones I had lived in; being 21 stories high. Much of my time was spent at the park. Every day, my friends and I would hang out in a little hut-style sitting area located at the back of the park, almost like a gazebo. Ocassionally, we would have parties there and we would each bring food and share it. That gazebo was also where a lot of people from the complex would come and go, and sometimes we had heard rumors about them. My favorite thing to do at the gazebo was laughing. We told each other many funny stories and laughed over them. Sometimes my friends and I would go out in the back and look at lizards and bugs.

Soon enough, I found out that I was moving again, and this time to a whole different country. I was extremely excited, but also sad because I would have to leave friends and relatives behind. My grandparents still live in that apartment. Some days I still think about all the times at the park. Even though I had to leave my friends behind, the memories will remain in my heart forever.