Resilience forms Diamonds

There is an old wives’ tale about coals turning into diamonds. It said, with enough pressure, grit, and resilience, a weak, fragile, impure piece of coal will form into an impenetrable, magnificent diamond. Although geologists have disproven this rumor, this wives’ tale is a metaphor describing the transition in my academic mindset.

When I was younger, I was discouraged that my siblings and classmates understood concepts faster than I did. It was not until eighth grade that I earned my first set of straight-A's. The day I received that report card, I ran to my parents, showed them my hard work, and danced with them. At that moment, I realized that I was smart. I just needed to learn a different way.

So, I learned how to learn. I developed grit and resilience under the heat and stress caused by academics. Unlike several peers that seamlessly memorize topics and formulas, I had to get down in the dirty details to understand the information. Then and only then did I apply the equations. For example, this past quarter, I spent three-plus hours on forty-five-minute assignments, watched an array of YouTube videos, read a multitude of online notes, and scheduled additional office hours with teachers and TAs, praying that something would make sense. Eventually, ideas clicked. At these moments, the world makes sense.

My grit, pressure, and resilience transformed a disheartened middle school girl into a woman choosing to major in chemical engineering.

The picture before you describe the person I have become. After a decade and a half of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, I have become a student at UCSD who loves to learn.

The specks in the background are the coal, my young mindset, dissipating into the mist. The diamond dancing is who I am now: a beautiful mind that has overcome academic hardship. Even though the old wives' tale is wrong, it perfectly describes the person I have become in an academic environment.

Disclaimer: Many storytellers here shared vulnerable experiences, which might be triggering to some. Please see below for resources.

• UCSD Students: CAPS, Health Promotion Services, your College Deans of Student Affairs, Campus Community Centers.

• UCSD Faculty and staff: Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, Staff Affiliate Groups, Work/Life Health & Wellness

• UCSD All: CARE at SARC,

• Anti-Racism Resources - Student Affairs and EDI

• Community: RAINN, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, NEDA, Up2SD