Example: Tea Essay
The following essay is by a student I worked with in 2023 for her personal statement essay. It is being shared with permission, for educational and training purposes)
I gently remove the tea bag from its paper sleeve and prop it in my ceramic mug. I pour in scalding hot water, measure out two spoons of sugar, and watch the heap of crystals drown. With a splash of milk and a good stir, the brew turns the color of a light hazelnut.
My heart is full, my morning cup of tea finally complete.
I perform this tea ritual every day – often, multiple times. It kickstarts my mornings, fuels my busy afternoons, warms my soul on chilly nights. Legend has it that tea was invented accidentally, by Chinese Emperor Shen Nong, when dried camellia leaves fell into his cup. It’s astonishing how a small mistake, 4000 years ago, powers my everyday.
My earliest memory of tea: in our kitchen when I am small. Watching my father craft a cup, my curiosity is piqued. I'm lured by the subtle aroma, the clinking of the spoon. He offers me a sip. It tastes like love, and makes me want more.
Now, I’m older. In the mornings, my family bustles around the kitchen. With my hands wrapped around my warm cup of tea, I silently take in the sounds. All around the world, this is how the day begins. Fathers, mothers, children, feeling their way through the early hours over a strong brew. Here, my thoughts travel and the world outside comes into focus. When should I conjure my next mathematics study guide? How will I organize Uplift’s weekly tutoring session? The list goes on, but with each sip of packaged sweetness, I get an unwavering feeling that I’m ready to take on the day.
I’ve always felt a strong sense of responsibility. As the eldest child, I’ve taken pride in doing things the right way as a means of setting an example. Whether it's academics, tutoring, or household chores, fulfilling objectives and meeting deadlines often means stretching my boundaries.
They say tea gives vigor to the body, that it energized the working classes during the Industrial Revolution. I’m not surprised. It’s the sole bridge between a long day of school and the nostalgic hours of mentoring at my middle school. During my night study sessions, I play Chopin’s Nocturne and light a balsam fir candle. They both stimulate my senses, but it’s tea that remedies my spirit, that fortifies my mind.
What is this magical entity bringing me such clarity? As I sip and study, mathematical concepts that I only “knew” I come now to understand. I ask the deeper questions. How are these approaches intertwined? Why do these steps work? These are my tea-fueled moments of Eureka. I become one with math, unlocking new parts of myself: a note-taking enthusiast, an avid visual learner, and surprisingly, a top-notch memorizer.
On Friday nights, my family plays Rummikub. Gathered around the living room table, we engage in a battle of wits, vying furiously to be rid of our tiles first. I win more often than I lose. They are victories I credit to a love of strategy, looking two steps ahead, and staying curious. But much like the Boston Tea Party, tea is my ultimate weapon to a victorious ending.
I've been thinking about what is to come, leaving behind my family and place of comfort. But one thing is for certain: wherever I go, tea will accompany me. I cherish this strong river of tea for the strength and balance it provides, shaping every one of us, as it has for more than two millennia. Every time my ritual unfolds, I’ll always be linked to the currents of history but prepared for the new beginnings tea brings. Perhaps I’ll meet some fellow tea lovers. People like me who savor tradition, curiosity, and an uplifting community that pours forth from friendships like water from a steaming kettle. Who knows? It’s remarkable what can happen when you share the things you love.
