My mother, a Japanese lady dyed by my fathers Indian culture always told me to buy gold. Gold will never be worthless. And so I started university at XXXl with a gold necklace hoping that if anything goes south I would be able to turn my life around or at least save myself from falling into a pit.

Setting foot in Philadelphia, I was convinced that I would love the city as much as I did back home in Tokyo. Yet, first week in, I broke down on the curbside after a homeless man approached me in front of Target asking for a toothpaste. Not money. Not alcohol or cigarettes but a tube of toothpaste. I came from family of dentists and knew that oral hygine was a bare necessity to live. 

I decided to major in Political science because I wanted cure the roots to such issues faced around the world. Giving the homeless man the toothpaste or even my necklace would have provided him with temporarily assistance but what after then? I did not want to hone my intellectual abilities just to be a bandage for the community. 

Unfortunately all the gold jewelleries I possessed was indeed worthless. The moment I got back to my dorm room, I scheduled meetings after meetings with different professors in my field to come with a solution. However, my current institution focused more on political research methods and hence spurred an inner conflict with what I wanted to do and what I could do.

 I achieved every academic goals I had from joining the honors program to constantly seeing my name on the deans list yet, my satisfactions were never fulfilled knowing I could do better for the corrupt system I see with my own eyes.

If gold was worthless, what can I secure to feel safe? Stocks fluctuate and so does property. Knowledge is worthless without the opportunity to showcase. My current institution is perfect for students wanting to continue their educational spectrum. However, I want to work for a change. Not a dream because it only gives hope, but a goal that I know I will accomplish. 

This is the moment I realized that the field of politics no longer appealed to me without the right path. I want to have a stage that can listen to my theories and goals. I want to be able to be that connecting bridge with Japan and the US. Bring the good across multiple cultures to advance ones living conditions and not just sit with a textbook of international ethics; dreaming of a better world; clinging to my gold necklace and hoping that I wouldt  fall into a pit.

I am confident that I could exceed expectations here, however, I want to provide social challenges with new milestones. Limitations set by my current institution only allows me to dream but at XXX university, I know itll be a reality. My new gold is in fact networks of next generation leaders and alumni.