Down the Rabbit Hole by Sophie

Down the Rabbit Hole by Sophie - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

Are you familiar with the phrase, “going down the rabbit hole?” It originates from the famous book Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland written by Lewis Caroll. Alice literally fell down a whole and landed in a chaotic fantasy land. I fell down a hole too, but only figuratively. There are no talking white rabbits or wacky figures like the Mad Hatter or Queen of Hearts in the hole I fell down, though there is lots to keep me fascinated and curious:” “new” worlds to discover, interesting “characters,” and amazing places. What is this magical rabbit hole I find myself in? The study of history and culture – anthropology.

Some see history classes as stale, fact-laden requirements for graduation about famous people. I find it an absorbing pursuit that helps us learn how the world got to what it is today. It is the story of music, art, fashion, sport, cultural practices and grassroots movements of people struggling to make lives better, not just “great men” and their pursuits. Today the importance of the past is made even more evident by the current push to deny or hide aspects of history in public schools. I want to know why and how the world changed, but just as importantly, why many aspects have not.

To say we live in trying times would be a gross understatement. We face so many global and domestic challenges – climate change, a rise in racism and ethnocentrism, wars and territorial disputes, the growth of authoritarianism, health crises, cyber threats, human rights abuses, and economic disparity. These are such difficult issues, but I believe if we make what John Lewis called, “good trouble,” we can meet them head on.

To address these challenges will require commitment, tenacity, and an ability to use critical thinking. Problem solving requires intellectual curiosity, reasoning, and the ability to see things from diverse perspectives – the very skills homed in college. We need to look to anthropology, history, and cultural studies – the fields which I intend to study. Understanding how these issues developed and gaining a deep understanding of cultures and societies will provide solutions that are effective, equitable, and inclusive.