Prompt: Submit an essay topic of your choice.
Growing up in the center of New Jersey may not seem different from most life elsewhere, until the not so ordinary contrast -- the demographic.
It is no secret that in America, caucasians are the majority. This is where Edison is unique, embracing the “abnormalities”. As a melting pot of cultures and worlds, Edison’s population is predominantly first or second generation Asian-American.
As a Russian-American growing up in this town, the experiences I have gained and the culture I have learned about are unmatched. Imagine Garba, an Indian dance event, being the sole topic of discussion in the fall, rather than Homecoming. Imagine Diwali parades throughout town every year.
“Di-what?”
A common question asked by my extended family. They are unable to visualize a world that actively celebrates different cultures. Despite never knowing how to make my mark on Cultural Day or watching these holiday celebrations from the sidelines, this awareness I have could not have been acquired elsewhere.
Holidays only skim the surface of the cultural impact life in Edison has impressed upon me. Creating the largest impact, was the strife for academic excellence. The demand to be the best is a common theme, pushing the most out of everyone. Unfortunately, students at JP Stevens have a picture in their minds of what an AP student should look like, as if looking different automatically results in different standards.
Yet, I am the exception. Being in AP classes has shown me how easy it is to surpass expectations, constantly being celebrated for mediocrity while others get ridiculed for hardly missing perfection. Seeing how heav...
