Funnily enough I hate talking about myself unless I am writing a personal statement.... because I prefer talking to people in person. I love to laugh. I appreciate people who bring out the best in me. I value kindness, education, compromise, mercy, creativity, and open-mindedness, but I try to stick to my convictions and they have served me well. I have a very diverse group of friends, but my closest are most often Muslims of all kinds, or other people who are practicing in their respective religion, not really by my choice, it just tends to happen that way because I mesh well with people who have similar values. I am most comfortable in diverse company, but I strive to connect with people regardless of their background. I believe strongly in social justice, public health, and global citizenship, but I am proud to be an American, and consider this country my home. I hate violence and scary movies, but I like documentaries and learning about history. I am close to my mother, who is amazingly strong and highly educated. I have a very small family though I always wanted a bigger one. I am the oldest sibling, and have a younger sister who I am very proud of and who I helped raise. I was fortunate to go through elite educational institutions for most of my life; I learned a lot from those experiences, and I consider my teachers to be some of the most important people in my life. I eat dessert first, I survive on coffee even though I like tea better, and I don't drink enough water. I like classical and antique things, and always love a good rhyme.