Tell us about a conversation you had recently that inspired you, challenged you, taught you something new, or changed your perspective.

 

A few days ago, my roommate read her UCLA application essay aloud, the prompt asking: “Write a letter to your future roommate.” I peered over her shoulder as she listed the traits I must align with: borderline obsessively organized (I was also insistent on this) and willing to share everything, claiming she had “high hopes and low expectations.” I began to wonder how different my freshman year of college would look if she hadn’t found me two weeks before the housing application deadline, after my former roommate plans had fallen through and after her last-minute commitment to Michigan. 

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The conversation spiraled, landing on the question of whether or not everything truly happens for a reason. The rollercoaster that was the college admissions process, the headache that was the roommate selection process, and every decision that came before culminated in the two of us sitting on her Markley double-size bed. What if she had chosen UCLA? What if I hadn’t objected to living at home for college? I am most comfortable when every detail is carefully planned, ensuring the best results; I’ve struggled to make peace with the fact that opportunities will inevitably pass me by with nothing I can do about it. She caused me to realize that if my life were fully in my control— if things always went my way, or if I were able to make decisions that are in other peoples’ hands— I would likely not be sharing my tiny dorm room with her, but I’m endlessly grateful that I am.

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(I love u forever Alissa!!)