The Statement Bank

Curiosity has been the defining factor in allowing the human race to form an understanding of concepts far beyond us. The ability that the natural sciences give us to describe and understand far more than we perceive is what really motivates me to study them. In particular, I have a strong interes

As a curious learner, I have always wanted to know about the complexities of the brain and how it usually works so seamlessly. My interest in how we as humans respond to our surroundings has driven me to want to study neuroscience. I am amazed at how a single organ controls everything we do consciou

Through my study of chemistry at A-level has come an increased understanding and appreciation of its importance, from the numerous chemical reactions that take place in the human body to the elegance of Hess's law that allows us to calculate the enthalpy change of a chemical reaction. Application o

In Chemistry it's often the details that fascinate me, such as discovering from my wider reading that bubbles form in water overnight because gases precipitate out of solution as temperature rises. However, nothing is more satisfying than linking the bigger concepts. For instance applying principles

I draw huge satisfaction from the discoveries and enlightenment gained by delving into layers of meaning in a text, and using language to develop and express ideas. A recent book club discussion of Hosseini's 'The Kite Runner' highlighted for me the power of literature both to raise awareness of rea

Authors are not always honest, but their eagerness to make known the untold pains of life, and from that illuminate a deeper understanding of our shared existence, is to me both moving and necessary. Literature is powerful for the very fact that it rewards us with moments of shock or amusement throu

As a female born and raised in Saudi Arabia, the literature I was exposed to was strictly censored and homogeneous, in order to keep our minds 'pure'. For example, nonconformist literary themes, such as promiscuity and political critique, are often removed from the works within which they occur. Whi

Literature has always been central in my life. My drive to pursue English academically was sparked at the age of fifteen, when I read Les Miserables and was enchanted with Hugo’s vast narrative, a profound panoramic portrayal of love in all its forms. Since then I have been fascinated by how writers

Civil engineering is the key to the infrastructure that is the foundation to our civilisation and without this discipline, our society would fail to function. The Shanghai Tower first drew my attention to the field. Its’ 120-degree twisting structure with a glass skin facade, not only reduces the ef

The study of English literature fascinates me as it allows exploration of how a society's views have developed through time. It intrigues me how, even a text as outwardly minimalist as Ernest Hemmingway's 'Hills Like White Elephants', can dramatise and respond to debates over issues such as abortion

Society's romanticisation of the medical field ushered in me the ambition to become a doctor from an early age. It did not arrive through careful introspection but rather by naïve assumptions too removed from reality. A chance reading of Six Months in Sudan made me question my beliefs. So, over my h

Coming from Japan and having lived in Germany, the Netherlands and France due to my father’s expatriate status, I have had the opportunity to observe four different countries’ approaches to social debates. I was particularly intrigued by the stark contrast in the responses to international immigrant