Harvard Global Essay Competition

I was just an ordinary AI security consultant. Until one day at the Paris Air Show, I stunned the French President with a new defense tech that rewrote global security doctrine. My invention—Project AegisX—used neuro-dynamic algorithms and electromagnetic rail cannons to eliminate drone swarms with precision, stealth, and style. Ten billion dollars of funding. A hundred-billion market cap. Nobel Peace Prize. Replacing my old college dean. And even buying out Magic Mike to turn it into a global tech-art fusion show. From defense to entertainment, from neural networks to world peace—this is the wild ride of a tech maverick who turned sci-fi into reality.

In the bustling world of 1990s Hollywood, a man defies all odds to become the ultimate icon of fame and power. Standing tall at 186 cm and boasting unparalleled strength, he is not only a top-tier director but also a global sensation celebrated for his charisma, charm, and wealth. With a staggering net worth placing him among the world’s richest, and a reputation that oscillates between adoration and scandal, he navigates the treacherous waters of the entertainment industry with unmatched skill. This story follows his extraordinary journey—from the struggles behind the camera to the dazzling spotlight on the red carpet. Amidst fierce competition, romantic entanglements, and relentless media scrutiny, he carves out a legendary career while battling personal demons and complex relationships. “Hollywood Director 1992” blends humor, drama, and romance to paint a vivid portrait of ambition, resilience, and the price of stardom in a city where dreams are made—and sometimes shattered.

In a world where everyone is undergoing their profession's transition, I've surprisingly awakened to two professions. Moreover, I've also awakened a defiance lifestyle profession. Preserve high-quality items? I'll just synthesize them. Preserve high-quality skills? I'll synthesize those as well. Preserve high-level pets? I'll keep synthesizing. Wait, why is this beast-girl so large after the synthesis? Let's start by synthesizing three "Skeleton Summonings." Synthesize into—The "Undead Army." Now, let's synthesize three Dark Wands. Synthesize into—The "Death's Scepter." In the grand interspecies gaming contest of the universe, can we, humans of the Solar System and Earth, ascend to an even broader stage? ......

The world was destroyed by meteorites and everyone on Earth transmigrated to a wasteland. The wasteland would encounter an unpredictable catastrophe every seven days. Some of the catastrophes included the great flood, ice age, invasion of demonic beasts and plague of plants. In order to survive, mankind had to build more advanced shelters. Lin Yue awakened the 100 Percent Drop Rate System, allowing him to live a very different life from the others. Other people lamented, “The drop rate is too low, isn’t it? I have killed 50 mutants, yet I still have not gotten any drops!” Lin Yue lamented, “I have way too many drops and my item list is now full. Could it be that I have to upgrade my shelter and build a warehouse for all the drops? Tsk. That’s so troublesome.”

People got a planet in the beginning and what to do with it was up to them. Wang Yi, a young man in the 21st century, coincidentally transmigrated into a world where everyone had the opportunity to awaken a planet. The larger the diameter of the planet, the more advanced the energy transformed, and the more powerful the civilization created. Some people obtained the planet's energy as " Martial True Qi" and used the creation sandbox to create a martial civilization, and the people on the planet were all martial artists. Some people get the planet's energy as "Immortal True Energy" and use the creation sandbox to create an immortal civilization, and the people on the planet were all cultivators! Some people obtained the energy of the planet as "Fighting Qi", and used the creation sandbox to create the civilization of Fighting Qi, and people on the planet are all fighters! Some people obtained the energy of the planet as "Soul Power", and used the creation sandbox to create the Soul Path Civilization, and the people on the planet were all Soul Masters! ... Everyone was struggling to evolve a magical civilization system. Wang Yi, however, used his past life memories to start evolving an "Primordial" civilization! "Your world-extinguishing laser cannon is powerful, but I have the son of the Great Dao, Pan Gu! One axe will reduce your world to naught!" "Your thousands of angels are powerful, but I have three thousand Chaos Demon Gods to beat you in a minute!" "Your army of darkness is awesome, but I have the Buddha's Paramount Sage, who will defeat you in a minute!" "..." This was a story of how the Primordial civilization crushed various transcendent civilizations.

This was the great era of vast warships and the Star River, a time when the multi-universe was shattered and countless Cosmic Fragments were scattered across the void, forming the boundless Shattered Starry Sea. Immortal Domain Dao soldiers, mechanical gods, golden giants, wizard Dominators... An endless array of strange civilizations. Starry Sea Oddity, Genetic Potions, exoskeletal armors, Floating Land Origin... Treasures that could be found everywhere. Spectral Shuttle, Spectral Airship, Spectral Warship, Escort Ships, Battleships, Star-Annihilating Starships, hyperdimensional mother ships... The clearly stratified Xinhuo warships. Song Chi held a Zhu Tian Ruins Market in his hand and engaged in interstellar trade with the countless peoples of the Starry Sea. What? Titanium Crystals are worthless in your Star Domain? I'll take them all, damn it, this is a strategic resource! You call this a chunk of iron? This is Mixed Elemental Copper, the ultimate Enhancement resource! Ordinary ship cannon? Isn't this a golden Star-Annihilating Cannon? Quick... I'll buy it! ... Stretching across the stars, starting from the flame of human civilization.

Not to fall into the cycle of reincarnation within the vast world, The heart transmits the Dao among humans. Willing to wield a sword to end myriad calamities, Exchange ruthlessness for a world of emotions!

The night before her wedding, her world shattered. Betrayed by her own sister and abandoned by her fiancé, who demanded her kidney as the price for his love, she thought her life was over. But she refused to be a victim. At the altar, she made a bold move: she called off the wedding and declared she’d marry anyone willing to step up. To everyone’s shock, he—the richest and most powerful man in the city—stepped forward, claiming it was his “duty” to marry her. Overnight, she went from a betrayed bride to the wife of her ex-fiancé’s uncle, turning the tables on everyone who wronged her. From navigating family drama to outsmarting scheming rivals, she rose to become the undisputed queen of both families, building an empire of her own. Now, with a thriving career and a husband who adores her, she’s living her best life. But when her husband calls, begging her to come home because their twins are “starving for attention,” she knows her chaotic yet glorious life is just getting started.

First Gift: Dynamic Vision → Bullet Time → Inherent Time Control - Acceleration → Inherent Time Control - Time Stop… Tao Yu reincarnated into a world being devoured by the Abyss and discovered that as long as he was willing to expend enough Yuan Force, he could infinitely enhance his skills. With the help of his special gift, Tao Yu gradually realized that the world fragments within this Abyss were somewhat different, containing parts of Earth’s remains, and even legends from Earth were buried within…

A gigantic mouth appeared in the sky and swallowed the entire Earth, scattering the shattered fragments everywhere. "Welcome to the Myriad Heavenly Hunting Grounds, your talent is the Lord's Cottage." Earthlings received the developmental ability called Lord's Cottage, beginning their struggle for survival in the Myriad Heavenly Hunting Grounds. Fang Jie, holding the initial item 'Faction Conversion Command', gently tapped on the undead faction. Starting with the undead fission talent, he could make his subordinate undead split and increase in value, and the talent could also be upgraded.

Mr. Johnson's stepdaughter, whom he had been taking care of for fifteen years, surprisingly ran away, and she disappeared for five years. Five years later, Mr. Johnson finally found her. Mr. Johnson, looking at his bride-to-be, who had turned into a beauty, said, "If you can come up with a decent excuse, I might be gentle with you later." Amanda Smith awkwardly said, "Well, I... I was hesitating." "That's a fairly good reason, you've been hesitating for five years. It's time to decide, right?" Amanda Smith looked at him sorrowfully, "I, I have hesitated so long, I've forgotten how to decide." "Oh, no problem, just decide on me. After all, I'm quite good at catching people!"

Fang Heng was transmigrated to a parallel world and his soul was forced into the body of a man who had just committed suicide. Huh? What? Every human here was being forced to join a game? Those who refused would be killed? Wait? This suicide dude was a pro gamer? He had the highest S-rank talent sill, the Zombie Clone? Damn! The S-rank skill evolved! My zombie clones could auto hunt! [Your zombie army has crafted Wooden Axe x720 when you were offline. You have received 1921 experience points for the Basic Crafting skill.] [Your zombie army has chopped down 27,821 trees and gathered 128,973 pieces of wood while you were offline. You have received 2,171,921 experience points for the Basic Wood Chopping skill.] Just as the rest of the players were struggling to survive in the zombie apocalyptic game, Fang Heng's zombie clones were starting to clear every resource out of the forest. Hm... What an interesting game!

[Rebirth + Apocalypse + Plug-in + Stockpiling of Supplies + OP MC + Single Female Lead + Multiple Natural Disasters] In August, snow fell from the sky, and a deadly cold wave swept the earth without warning. Humanity plunged into chaos. Kind-hearted Liang Yu did everything he could to help others—sharing his food, giving shelter, sacrificing his own comfort. But in the end, kindness meant nothing when survival was on the line. Starving and desperate, his neighbors turned on him. They broke into his home and devoured the him, helpless and betrayed. But fate gave him a second chance. Liang Yu was reborn one month before the apocalypse began and this time, he wasn’t empty-handed. He awakened with the legendary Unlimited Plugin, a powerful plug-in capable of enhancing abilities, unlimited Ammunition. Now, armed with foresight and an overpowered modifier, Liang Yu no longer fights for others—he fights for himself. Let the world freeze. He will survive—and thrive.

The sun is bleeding. The world has turned to hell. The end of times... is here. Everyone is fighting for their survival. Everyone but one man who decides to play god. Why join the 'good' side when an entire playing field awaits you on the 'evil' side? It's going to be a wild ride of betrayal, setbacks, sacrifice and... evolution of a human to the zombie overlord.

a white-haired boy unexpectedly chosen by a deadly game of Lords, finds danger lurking everywhere. With his unique talent, Troopmaster, can he survive the ruthless battles, rise to the top, or be forgotten as just another nameless lord under the command of more powerful rulers?

One day, the entire Earth is plunged into an endless ice apocalypse. All humans awaken in a desolate frozen wasteland with only a single flickering campfire to keep them alive. Here, the rules of reality have changed — everyone must gather resources, craft tools, and build from fragile wooden huts to sturdy stone fortresses just to survive the deadly cold. Monstrous frost beasts roam the white abyss. Hunger and cold gnaw at the mind. In this hopeless situation, humanity struggles, and countless people die every day. However, Ye Tian, an ordinary office worker, suddenly awakens a hidden SSS-rank class: ChatBot User! With it, he can access an exclusive "Command Console" akin to a cheat mode in a sandbox survival game: > /give longsword x1 /enchant longsword.sharpness5 /spawn survival_kit x1 But nothing is free. Every command costs Command Points (CP)—which can only be earned by overcoming brutal challenges, defeating frost beasts, or completing hidden missions. As the world falls into despair and the strong prey on the weak, Ye Tian forges legendary weapons, constructs indestructible fortresses, and commands an army of summoned beasts to dominate the frozen lands. When others shiver in broken wooden shacks, he lounges inside a grand heated palace. When others scavenge for scraps, he dines on gourmet feasts. "You want to challenge me? Sorry, I just gave myself a +1000 Strength buff." In this game of life and death, only he can write his own commands and decide his fate. --- Tags: Game Elements, Survival, System, Isekai, Overpowered Protagonist, Base Building, Resource Management, Face Slapping, Strongest Alone, Cold Apocalypse.

In the messy teenage years, between the competition of the cruel worldly pleasure of glory, disdain for the feelings of the subjects. A boy who tries to escape from the dead race.

Kotarō Nozomi is fluent in English—but not in speaking. Not in front of others. Quiet, observant, and chronically self-edited, he’s somehow drafted into his class’s English Debate Competition… and has no idea how to say no. Paired with Haruka—a bold, expressive club member—and Watanabe, who barely tries, Kotarō finds himself stuck between silence and expectation. At first, standing at the podium feels impossible. But when the tournament begins and he finally opens his mouth… something changes. From makeshift practice rooms to official matches, Kotarō starts to learn how to speak under pressure, how to argue with purpose—and how language can connect more than it divides. A slow-burn, grounded school drama about anxiety, competitive debate, unexpected growth, and the people who force us to speak—whether we’re ready or not.

Meet Simba—a broke village boy with rich-boy confidence, fake graduation pics, and a borrowed blazer two sizes too big. From photoshopping his way into Harvard to faking a faint in church to avoid donating money, Simba’s life is one long episode of lies, Wi-Fi bundles, and embarrassing miracles. In a world where social media clout is more important than the truth, Simba will do whatever it takes to look successful—even if it means renting cars, collapsing on cue, or pretending to Zoom from China while standing behind a toilet. FAKE LIFE is a wild, hilarious ride through a young man’s desperate mission to look important, sound international, and avoid real work at all costs. Warning: this story may cause stomach pain from excessive laughter and suspicious trust issues.

24 year-old Richter Maier stands at the pinnacle of Swordsmanship — a competitive combat sport whose glory was stolen by the first-ever immersive VR fantasy game: Mirage. The smash hit rose to a global sensation - leaving Richter at a loss as his disciples and competitors quit to pursue a career in-game... Until fantasy became reality. Earth was indoctrinated into the 'System', with dungeons and monsters and classes eerily similar to Mirage. A game he never played. Now Richter has a chance to regain his fame, and even more ways to gain strength. But he'll have to combat monsters, interstellar beings, revenge, and his own lack of knowledge before he gets anywhere close. It's a whole new ball game, and Richter's just getting started. ...And maybe he'll pick up some new disciples along the way. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for reading!

Jane Evans, a sophomore desperate to win the dance competition and finally step into the spotlight, takes a leap of faith—pairing up with a senior far from her world. What starts as a chance to escape her tragic past soon turns into something deeper… love. But fate has other plans. Their once-peaceful campus isn’t as safe as it seems. Disappearing students. Unanswered whispers. Secrets buried beneath the polished halls. As the competition draws near, so does the darkness lurking in the shadows. Will they unveil the truth, or become a part of it?

In a world reshaped by the collapse of ancient kingdoms, the death of the legendary Kings of Fire, Thunder, Beasts, Order, and Chaos marked the dawn of a new era. The once-mighty kingdoms have crumbled, giving way to modern states, but the potent legacy of these monarchs remains in the form of five mystical rings. Each ring embodies the unique power of its former ruler, offering unimaginable strength to those who dare to claim them. As the dust of the old world settles, a shadowy organization emerges, masquerading as an archaeological expedition in search of ancient relics. Their true mission, however, is far more sinister: to unearth these rings, believed to be weapons of unparalleled power, capable of shifting the global balance. Alric Kincaid is a brilliant young scholar at Harvard University, on the cusp of graduation with a thesis on the elusive deep state. His academic pursuits take an unexpected turn when he becomes embroiled in a deadly international conspiracy. One fateful night, after a harrowing encounter with Russian intelligence agents, Alric is wounded and finds himself hiding near a forgotten statue, its hand adorned with a mysterious ring. Driven by a blend of curiosity and survival instincts, Alric takes the ring, unknowingly setting off a chain of events that will alter the course of history. As he examines the artifact at home, he discovers its connection to the lost kings and the immense power it holds. The ring becomes both a beacon and a curse, drawing attention from powerful factions and individuals who would stop at nothing to possess it. With danger lurking at every turn, Alric must navigate a treacherous world of espionage, ancient secrets, and political intrigue. As he unravels the mystery of the rings, he realizes that the future of nations hangs in the balance. Alric is thrust into a race against time to prevent the resurgence of chaos and tyranny, armed only with his wits, the enigmatic ring, and the reluctant allies he gathers along the way. In a story that blends the mystique of ancient powers with the relentless pace of a modern thriller, "The Rings of Sovereignty" explores the enduring conflict between order and chaos, the burden of power, and the choices that shape destinies. Will Alric succeed in keeping the rings from falling into the wrong hands, or will the world witness the return of a forgotten era's dark reign?

This is a translation of 全球旧日 by A Gift of Pinecones Arrives ------------------ A higher civilization's power is beginning to corrode the world. As a result, our communities are beginning to collapse, disintegrate, and turn to ash. A system known as the Antiquity Game has engulfed the world; since it began, we've needed to apply the principles below in order to stay alive: 1: Striving to survive every stage during the Antiquity Game 2: Don't touch what you shouldn't touch, don't see what you shouldn't see, and complete every stage's main mission 3: "Preserve your rationality!" Principles which absolutely don't include: 1: Swindle an NPC and have them punish you with transcibing《The Eclipse Ghoul Scriptures》100 times 2: Confront the Deep One using the Skill【Sliding Tackle】 3: Offer an NPC as a sacrifice...... Dense fog disseminates above the desolate, barren plains that fanatics believe they might never reach. Where "it" is, everything else in "its" presence is irrelevant. Even Death itself isn't an existence with that kind of significance. Wither leads the world's future path?

One-line summary: The female lead has a beautiful appearance and seemingly warm personality, but is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her. This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read: 1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly. It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them. (This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!) 2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2. The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him. 3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality. Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced). Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time. Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts. 4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend). 5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!

In the 432 thousanth year in the heavenly calendar, the dragon god of war Bahamut is banished to the earthly realm as the human Parker Grey, where he brings the strongest fighters in the world he can sense together into a competition called the Lord's Advent in order to find two gods that were banished long ago. But during the competition he's given a surprise when an old friend shows up instead.

The world descended into chaos when several tens of billions of people were thrust into another world filled with chaos, madness as well as power, riches and divine beings! Not given a choice, Chris was forever to be a Demon king instead of heroes with divine abilities! Tasked with building his own demonic kingdom or die in this world. Chris struggle to survive! [Ding!] [You’ve been assigned the hidden race!] […(Mythic Grade Devil lord)!] With the activation of his golden finger, along with the legendary class, would Chris die or would he survive chaotic and build an empire the likes which the Gods haven’t witnessed in their millennials of living?

After losing his younger sister, Simon fell into deep depression and found comfort only in playing her favorite game, The Academy Dream. He never liked the game but played it every night after work. One evening, he fell asleep while playing and woke up inside the game itself, trapped in an elite academy where only the privileged compete for the ultimate prize: becoming a candidate for the throne. But Simon isn't a main character. He's cursed as just an extra, unable to harm any other human and powerless in a world where competition can be deadly. At first, Simon has no interest in the crown or the academy's competition. But everything changes when he realizes his sister might be somewhere in this world too. Now Simon must learn to survive the academy's dangerous politics and use his knowledge of the game to navigate this new reality. Even though he's limited as a cursed extra, he's determined to find his sister and help her succeed, no matter what it takes.

Liam Crest wanted nothing more than to leave his dead end job and pursue his dream as an actor but as always, life has a way of kicking one in the balls. He’d acquired a lot of skills but nothing that would help him when the apocalypse descended. It all started when a blue screen playing the video of an alien appeared in front of everyone. The Astral announced the beginning of the Ascension Apocalypse and for five minutes, it was hell on earth. After the longest five minutes of his life, Liam is pulled into the tutorial and just when he was about to complete it, an Astral corpse crashes into his safe zone, corrupting his tutorial and locking him at Level 0. Forever. Fortunately for him, the broken system turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Gifting him with the [Cameraman Never Dies] skill, Liam quickly learns that he cannot die as long as he keeps his camera rolling. Even as everyone around him fights for every scrap of EXP, Liam farms skills just by live streaming the apocalypse and receiving gifts from his fans of Astrals. With earth slated for destruction, all he needs to do is kill monsters, create content and collect enough Ascension Points to join the Astrals. And so begins the journey of the Level 0 Apocalypse Streamer. [Ding!] [Welcome to the Apocalypse.]

At Aldridge Academy, success isn’t an aspiration—it’s survival. In this elite, hyper-competitive school where ranking determines everything, students are reshuffled weekly, their futures dictated by a ruthless meritocracy. The top 20 enjoy unimaginable privileges: mentorships from industry leaders, access to classified research, guaranteed scholarships to the world’s best universities. The rest? They fight to stay afloat, knowing that one bad week could destroy everything. Liam Carter was built for this system. Rank 14. A scholarship prodigy. A perfect machine. With a mind sharper than any algorithm, he has calculated, optimized, and outperformed his way to the top. But when his flawless Ivy League applications are rejected, his entire world fractures. Now, his scholarship is on the line. The school’s administration has given him six months to secure admission to one of ten elite universities—or he loses everything. But Liam isn’t just up against a broken admissions process. Because when his best friend, Ethan Reyes—a wealthy underachiever sinking toward the bottom ranks—posts Liam’s personal statement on Reddit for feedback, it triggers something no one expected. The essay goes viral. Not because of inspirational storytelling—but because it contains something dangerous. A fragment of classified information. A half-forgotten piece of an experiment Liam doesn’t even remember being part of. And now, the wrong people are watching. The CIA believes he’s a leaked asset. A powerful tech cartel wants him recruited—or eliminated. And his biggest rival at school, Jasper Voss, Rank 9, knows Liam’s secret and is willing to use it against him. To survive, Liam must outthink everyone—weaponizing Aldridge’s brutal ranking system, manipulating the school’s elite, and uncovering the truth about his past. Because his rejection wasn’t just bad luck. Someone didn’t want him getting out. And if he fails now, Aldridge won’t just take his scholarship. It will erase him.

Sun Xin was a martial artist that was renown to the underground fighting. He dreamed of Awakening a good power to fight villains. Until one day, he awakened a power called "Cloning". In which he could clone himself. With him as a martial artist, he fought villains but he was still regarded as trash. In this age of Heroes, Dungeons, and, Villains. With others able to breathe fire and command other elements, he could only punch and kick. Up until one day, all his clones awakened and a mass Awakening happened. Awakening, Combat Class! Dragon knight! Necromancer! Berserker! Swordsman! Druid! Lycanthropy! Conjurer! Awakening, Production Class! Blacksmith! Mechanical Engineer! Hacker IT! Inventor! Alchemist! Enchanter! Bookworm! Now, with him as their trainer and leader, all of the villains would cower in his presence.