A Future in Economics by Miranda

A Future in Economics by Miranda - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

I first fell in love with economics when I listened to a podcast connecting books to the subject. The podcast allowed me to hear the author’s story behind these books, and I gradually began to realize the breadth of economics. It happened to use two of my favorite novels as examples: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and Trust by Hernan Diaz. In both books, the outcast main characters turn to jobs in the pachinko business and investing world, and although both authors are not economists, they incorporate topics that are inarguably related to economic theories. Delving further into economics opened up an entire world for me, endlessly connecting to other topics that inspire me.
At the summer camp Economics for Leaders, I spent a week in lectures about both basic economic topics and understanding leadership styles. In the economics lectures, I found guidance in my professor, and although many of his teachings impacted me, one of the most striking lessons he taught was on trade. Using the most simple economic graph, my professor displayed a production possibilities curve, both with and without trading. I remember being astounded by how much more humans can achieve by working together, something that could be proved with basic math and theories yet with such a complex meaning. I felt a pull to look inward, and wondered how much more I could accomplish with teamwork and how this theory can be applied to other subjects I am passionate about. I found it later that summer, in my women’s studies class, when I learned about the history of feminism and the power women held when they worked together. While watching the news, I connect my knowledge to natural disasters, especially the California fires that are close to my home and community aid that follows.
In every aspect of my life, I have become obsessed with the economic way of thinking. Terms like incentives, scarcity, normative thinking, and, my personal favorite, opportunity cost, have become common in all of my conversations (slightly driving my friends crazy), and my anticipation for learning economics beyond high school overflows daily. In my AP Macroeconomics class, it’s been intoxicating to see myself thrive in a subject that interests me.
Although I have yet to find a specific job position that combines all of my interests, I am inspired every day by the way my dad makes an impact on the world using his own economic knowledge. At his job for the Southern California Gas Company, his response to natural disasters brings me back to the moment I first saw the production possibilities curve, and when I discovered the extensive positive change that economics can have on the world. Whether it be to help local families impacted by fires, or on the macro level and helping economic conditions of entire countries improve, my goal is to use the breadth of economics to have an influence on the world around me.