The Peer Recommendation

January 4th, 2008

one college that i applied to required a peer evaluation of the applicant. i asked songjun if he would write my peer evaluation for me, to which he so nicely agreed. now that my materials and applications have been sent out, i’m finally allowed to read the essay. and i seriously think it is THE coolest letter of recommendation i could ever ask for.

over the past few weeks, i’ve been toiling away writing my personal statements, and sometimes when i’m done, i sit back and i think i did a good job capturing my personality and identity in those essays. but then songjun goes and writes this evaluation of me that just trumps everything that i’ve written about myself. i was floored when i read his essay. there were so many things in there about me that i’d never even thought about putting into my applications, and yet it condensed and packaged me up into one page more perfectly than i could ever attempt to. this essay is truly a work of someone who knows me better than i know myself.

i want to put up this essay because i’m so proud of it :) it’s the coolest thing anyone has ever written about me. thank you songjun :) i am so grateful for this.

Peer Evaluation for Su Ann Lim

If there was one person who could change so much my perspective in life, and forever impact how I’ve evolved as a person, that person would be Su Ann. When I met her, she was a 13-year-old still in the defining stages of her life, and even then the most striking thing about her was her vast maturity and inquisitive nature. For the past 6 years, we spent the 2nd and 3rd years in a relationship, sadly ending our relationship but still maintaining the close friendship we had from the time we first met. I am still her confidant in many things and she is the one person whom I feel most comfortable talking to about anything at all. Who am I? I’m 23-year-old Song Jun, Lim, currently pursuing his Master’s in International Business at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom.

Su Ann is a girl of many contradictions. Upon being asked what she thought was the reason she was nominated for prom queen at her high school prom (which she also organized, and very successfully too), she blurted out: “It was my breasts!” Yet, it was this same girl that scripted the whole night from scratch. The same girl who never backed down from an injustice she felt was being portrayed. In a society where standing up for oneself is frowned upon, she relentlessly stands up for people who need support. When she faced discrimination from some conservative teachers in school for being outspoken, she did not succumb like the usual ‘rebellious teen’ down the path to self destruction. Instead, she sought to beat the system, excelling in her studies, always being warm and courteous, propping the school’s prestige in the national stage by winning competitions and organizing highly successful fund-raising events. What better way to thumb your nose at your naysayers than success?

Her ambition and drive, despite negative odds usually results her in great success, a girl who is even more driven to succeed with the looming threat of failure. A girl who knew when to laugh at herself, recalling a moment where she fell rather clumsily in a public place and instead of rushing off red faced, proceeded to sit where she was and laugh. A girl who is compassionate and empathic of the people around her, who’d never look down on the downtrodden, risking her self to help even the most anonymous of people. This is a girl who goes to orphanages on her own to teach English and to geriatric wards just to spend time with the elderly. She is also a girl who is fiercely protective of her family, especially her younger brothers whom she helped discipline and guide in absence of her busy parents. Yet so highly driven, ambitious, smart and opinionated, she is also the most humble person I know. My friends and family are all charmed by her warmth and bubbly attitude, and she’s never had problems communicating with anyone. She is also politically aware, always advocating the right to vote and debating political issues with me. Although we don’t agree on certain issues, her awareness at such a young age is a relief in a place where only 60% of peoples exercise their right to vote.

This girl enjoys performing arts, frequently attending the local production house. She herself acted in and produced a hilarious play in high school. She is an avid fan of independent music labels, especially within the Malaysian community. She has a sharp eye for photography and writes beautifully too. Here’s a tip if ever you wanted to bribe her, her biggest weakness is food. She has many a time reviewed restaurants on her blog, and I trust her tastes. Her love to travel and her travels has also imbued her with clarity of the world around her.

If there is one thing I would entrust her with, it would be anything, really. A task given she carries out and goes the extra mile, a precarious situation she would risk herself to help in anyway, to love, she loves with such endearment and thoughtfulness. Words on paper cannot begin to expound how much a dynamic, independent, strong yet tender, and sensitive person she is. One has to meet her and be wow-ed by her persona to fully appreciate this girl, this amazing girl who is so full of joy, character, and verve, who never forgets to stop and admire life for all it has given her.

yes, i really did say that during prom. on stage. into the microphone and in front of everybody. and didn’t realize how stupid it was until 24 hours later. SIGH. do you think american colleges will still want me after they learn of the completely BLONDE things i can say sometimes??? :(

Entry Filed under: US College Application Advice

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