Google Search: yum yum sauce recipe no vinegar no sugar by Sarika

Google Search: yum yum sauce recipe no vinegar no sugar by Sarika - November 2023 Scholarship Essay

Staring down at the bowl, the realization dawned on me: I’m missing two ingredients. I scoured the pantry, the cabinets, the fridge, looking for my sneaky condiments. They are nowhere to be found.

You see, I wanted to make yum yum sauce - light, sweet, tangy, with that mouth-watering spicy scent. Standing in my way were two staples: sugar and vinegar. I was faced with a dilemma. Should I throw it out? No, because Mom will kill me for wasting food. That's it then. I’ll have to choke down bland yum yum sauce for the rest of my life!

I snap out of it, because that's ridiculous. Also, this is my favorite sauce of all time. I would marry it! Therefore, I am making this. No matter what. No one will stop me.

The fridge swings open. I grab the only thing I can find: half of a lemon. I sprint back to the pantry, snatch a bear-shaped bottle of honey, juggle both in my now tacky, stinging hands, and tumble them onto the counter. Let’s begin. The fork clinks rhythmically as the viscous concoction swirls into my vibrant masterpiece. Now for the moment of truth. I go in for the taste.

It was an explosion: honey lemon lighting up my tastebuds mingling with the rich savory notes of mayonnaise, ketchup, and garlic. I could eat it with a moldy boot; it was that good.

Most memorable is the aftertaste. The essence of creativity blooming on my tongue, buzzing at my ketchup-stained fingertips. It coursed through my veins, pulsing to a single conviction: anything I make will be pure magic; anything I attempt I will achieve. What was a simple phrase has become hardwired into my brain, inspiring me to use creativity to convert impossible problems into sensational solutions.

The aftertaste lingers as I gaze upon the school corkboard - hand-sized red and yellow “Thank You for Donating” cards stapled, then taped around the edges. I volunteered to create promotional materials for a fundraiser called “The Yemen Project”. I had three days to learn how.

I gave it my all: I designed an array of posters, brochures, and cards. I handed them out to everyone I knew. We exceeded our $250 goal by raising over $700. In front of that bulletin, I felt the ripple of compassion, love, and fellowship traveling through my community and coming back to me.

I couldn’t stop then. From there, I designed visuals to combat race-based gun violence after the Buffalo shooting, then to open churches in my community, and also to celebrate Black Scholars for the first time at my school.

The aftertaste lingers as I curl into my chair, transforming my vision into reality through code. Since my school doesn’t provide computer science classes, I’m creating opportunities to learn it myself. It’s not easy to plop yourself in front of a computer after learning, leading, working, doing, every day, but who will show up for me if I don’t? I am building the vocabulary that one day will be used to express myself. Multifaceted.

I can’t stop now. Deconstructing websites and applications, integrating that knowledge into my own; it all invigorates me. I crave learning like my life depends on it, because I know my work will impact the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Starting with this, I am piecing together my future, one line at a time.

It lingered the other day. This time, I tasted orange and brown sugar. I make a lot more than sauces, but that aftertaste gets me every time. My creativity knows no bounds. I revel in its messiness, its uncertainty. I am constantly testing my limits, optimizing my capabilities; it is my driving force. Therefore, how could I not let it bleed into every fiber of my being?

So why do I want to go to college? To make an impact.

First, I want to combat gender and racial bias in technology, not only in the offices but in the code itself. As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent, the open wounds of systemic oppression reveal themselves, threatening our criminal and healthcare systems worldwide. Artificial intelligence can do extraordinary things for humanity, I want to bring those things to fruition.

Second, I plan on launching computer science programs in under-funded schools. Spending the past six years in a school on the verge of shutting down, I mourn the potential that could have been realized by my peers if we had the resources. With my computer science degree, I hope to bring these opportunities to future generations.

Third, I plan on growing my graphic design business. I hope to transform it into an agency that serves companies nationwide. Whether they influence your buying choices, shape your habits, or challenge your beliefs. I know they will make you stop and think.

If yum yum sauce has taught me one thing, it is this: I was made to create. No matter what. NO ONE will stop me. I CAN. I WILL. WATCH ME.