Freshman Year Personal Statement

May 2019

Throughout my first two semesters of college, I’ve grown in more ways than just gaining academic knowledge. I entered in August ambitious and overconfident in my abilities. I didn’t expect having trouble with juggling multiple extracurricular activities and difficult classes because I did not have trouble in high school. However, I realized that the way I handled my work in high school would not work in college after I received C’s and B’s on my first round of tests. I tried to adjust by studying longer for tests, but by the end of the semester, I had two B’s on my record, something I had never experienced before.

During the spring semester, I had to make more compromises, including taking up fewer responsibilities in my organizations and pulling several all-nighters, so that I could study for my classes and my grades improved. However, no matter how much I studied for chemistry, I could never make the grade I wanted, and I had to accept that I would not be successful in everything I attempted. Throughout the year, I also made sure to make time for social activities and to become more spontaneous in order to make the most of my college experience.

Through my first year in Honors and in my major, I realized that I could be happy in several other careers besides becoming a veterinarian, such as a teacher, researcher, or a science and technology journalist. I have learned that it’s okay to change my course as long as I am pursuing something that I am passionate about and is fulfilling. University Honors has also made me realize that research and fellowship opportunities are within my reach as an undergraduate. For example, after attending a Pasta with Profs presentation, I signed up for the Biomedical Research Certificate Program.

Looking back on the essay I wrote to get into the Honors program, I realized that my experience did not quite meet my expectations. Although I did have the opportunity to meet many Honors students smarter and more talented than me, I did not get as close to them as I did my friends in high school, and instead formed more friendships through my extracurricular activities. I was also pushed to have a high GPA, but that was mostly to keep my scholarship. The biggest lesson I learned during my freshman year was how to cope with failure.

In my “Big Ideas and Alternative Careers” essay, I mentioned that I did not aspire to live a lavish life, and that I would be satisfied if I just had a job that gave me the opportunity to contribute positively to society. I do not think I would need a husband, kids, or expensive clothes to feel fulfilled. However, I would like to travel as much as my budget would allow because I never got the chance to travel much during my childhood, and I still haven’t traveled outside of the United States. This definition of “a life well-lived” stems from my goal to give more to the people and the community around me than what I take.

One of the ways that I feel like I can give back to my community while challenging myself the best is by becoming a veterinarian. However, if I decide I no longer want to be a veterinarian or if I need a job if I do not get accepted to veterinary school, my biomedical sciences degree is flexible enough to prepare me for a job I could be passionate about.

Within veterinary medicine, the biggest challenge – in my opinion – is making care affordable to all pet owners. Even today, owning a pet is considered a luxury, and I would not feel like I would be contributing the most to society if I was only serving the rich. However, working at a clinic that gave free/heavily discounted care such as spaying and neutering would not generate enough of a profit for me to live off of, even though the work would be emotionally fulfilling. Companion animals like dogs and cats fill up such an important part of our lives that we don’t often notice until they are gone, and owning a pet and taking it to the veterinarian instead of relying on unprofessional methods should not be considered a luxury.

My coursework in biomedical sciences and volunteering at veterinary clinics will help prepare me to become a veterinarian, a researcher, or a science teacher – whichever I later find more fulfilling. My extracurricular activities – working at The Batt and performing with Percussion Studio – will continue to help develop my time management skills and give me the opportunity to spend time with the people I enjoy. My capstone project will give me a chance to make a significant contribution to society before I graduate.