OPPORTUNITY FUNDS-BULGARIA 

For High School Juniors and Seniors

Nadezhda Dimitrova

Albert Einstein 128 Secondary School, Sofia

Anglo-American School of Sofia, Sofia

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA, USA

AY 2017-2021

MIT Application Essays

At MIT, we use a holistic admissions process which entails understanding as much about you as we possibly can, and the context in which you have been shaped, both as a person and as a student. Because simply checking a box cannot fully describe a person, we are providing this opportunity for you to tell us something about what your cultural background and identity mean to you. If you need more space than this text box allows, please type “See response in Optional election" in this space and then type your response to this question in the optional text box in Part Two, Section Nine.

I grew up in Pavlikeni, feeding chickens, picking berries, and collecting falling apples in my grandmother’s garden, observing how the environment can provide subsistence and happiness. However, my mother and I moved to the capital city, so I could have the education to follow in Newton’s footsteps. In moving, I experienced the differences in lifestyles, learning how technology can affect life and the environment. I want to emulate my two big brothers, who both studied abroad, and succeed not only in following their footsteps, but also to go even further and achieve something greater.

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it. (*)(100 words or fewer)

I have dyed my hair blue because unlike Picasso’s doleful monochromatic blue movement, I want to infuse the world with vibrant colors. I paint for a few hours every week – I spread a large canvas on the floor in my room and catch up with TV series. Just like television, I paint to transmit a message while also relaxing. I value Gerard Richter’s pastose strokes for the emotions they evoke but I prefer the smooth but clear paintings of Sirani (Classicism) or Degas (Impressionism). This form of expression is logical, just like engineering, and gives me a creative outlet. 

Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? (*) (100 words or fewer)

I have found my strengths in mathematics, sciences, and the communication of ideas, so I pursue a career as an Aerospace Engineer at MIT’s department of AeroAstro. I want to be an engineer to implement inspirations from nature and make life better, to create ever more fuel-efficient and reliable mechanisms, such as the morphing-wing vehicles. At MIT, I can be in the cradle of ideas, go to the frontier of human knowledge, and enjoy collaborative relationships. I know some of this from an MIT graduate and a friend of mine, Momchil Molnar, and want to earn the Brass Rat.

At MIT, we bring people together to better the lives of others. MIT students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world's biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way in which you have contributed to your community, whether in your family, the classroom, your neighborhood, etc. (*) (200-250 words)

A warm cup of tea when sick; walking between classes to the bathroom to keep company; visiting each other’s houses to work quietly on assignments. Having a good friend is invaluable and I show my friends how much I appreciate them. But during a cheerful dinner with my class, I faced one of the world's biggest problems - most of the food was left uneaten.

To appreciate how fortunate we are, I invited them to participate in a “Fun Run” marathon to raise awareness about the Syrian refugee crisis. It included singing, running, and free snacks, and we requested from one of the organizers to help with the preparation of a similar activity at our school. Three friends and I undertook the challenge to organize an event for our elementary students. The activity took over three months to plan and involved about 200 children (refugees, school children, teachers, and volunteers).

We had to overcome several hurdles, such as dealing with the administration regarding security, gathering funds, and choosing an appropriate program to both teach and inspire hope. We also dealt with unexpected rain just minutes before the event, for which we had a plan but needed to act quick and spread the schedule change to everyone. In the end, we taught the youngsters various facts about the issue that we hope will stay with them as they grow up to be compassionate. This is not only a service to the community, but also another aspect of being an empathetic friend.

Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?(*) (200-250 words)

I am a scholarship student at the Anglo-American School of Sofia and my 24-people class is an amalgam of 11 different nationalities. Being a Bulgarian in such an international community has coached me to be an ambassador of our culture. Along with speaking in formal all-school assemblies about our traditional holidays, I teach peers to punch the correct public transportation ticket or explain memes about Bulgarian culture. This has taught me to cherish my own culture and embrace it, because it makes me unique.

Attending two schools at the same time has given me two very distinct groups of friends - my wealthier international friends, and my Bulgarian friends that I accumulated by going to competitions, camps, and social events. On my birthday party, these two completely different groups collided, but just like real galaxies colliding, where the probability of individual stars smashing is faint, the two groups morphed as each one exerted its pull, not gravitational but cultural, and affected the perceptions of the other.

Living in such a diverse community, I have grown to be a very empathic person who seeks to help those in need, an understanding friend who listens and evaluates before judging anyone, and a good partner in collaborative projects. I want to facilitate and inspire people to find common goals, overcome their differences, and work together to better our future. I have been lucky to be around enthusiastic and smart people who want to achieve something in life or make a difference.

Tell us about the most significant challenge you've faced or something important that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?(*) (200-250 words)

When I asked my friends about their biggest challenges, most of them mentioned things that come easy to me: living only with a mother, striving to be a woman-scientist, combining school with going out. But something very hard for me is public speaking. When I moved to an international school in grade 8, I was very often given assignments to present in front of the whole class. Having studied in a Bulgarian system before, practical applications and rhetoric abilities were not a part of my education. Thus, I was very intimidated and having all glaring eyes directed at me panicked me.

I won’t forget my first major speaking assignment, a persuasive 10-minute speech. It was an interesting topic for me, but otherwise boring: to increase spending for NASA. I trembled with fear for a week! My brother helped with giving me stage directions, such as taking a step back while uttering this phrase.

Since then I’ve had many opportunities to practice to overcome my anxiety of being in the spotlight. I have helped Nikola Karavasilev while leading his after-school lectures and in the observatory in Sofia during Open Doors Night. Having to explain what I understand about astronomy, I realized that public speaking should be more than dull monologues. Now I also participate in MUN. This December, I have to present a speech in Berlin as the head delegate for Norway at BERMUN in front of 1000 delegates. I will still feel nervous, but I won’t show it.

Disclaimer

The text is published in its original and unedited version.