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Abstract

Kauthar Maruf is a Biology major from Boston, Massachusetts. Her essay began with an effort to find colorful inspiration for her family’s living room and developed into an investigation of the internet’s neutral “Sad Beige” aesthetic and the contrasting popularity of “Brat Green.” As she encountered increasingly similar homes, products, and social-media posts, Kauthar began asking whether personal preferences are genuinely individual or are shaped by algorithms, corporations, economics, and online culture. Conducting her own survey allowed her to compare her initial assumptions with the perspectives of others. She explains that the project encouraged her to begin “looking beyond the surface to understand what influences people’s choices.” The research strengthened the critical-thinking and analytical skills she will need as a pre-med student. Kauthar is also motivated by her Eritrean identity and hopes eventually to contribute to improvements in Eritrea’s health and social systems. She plans to pursue medicine because she believes it can provide “the tools necessary to help address real-world issues.”

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