I was speaking with a friend the other day on how important it is in interviews to be able to speak on your life and what brought you to where you are today.
Often we find that our perception of someone's life changes drastically when we learn of their past.
The tragedy we face in life becomes a huge part of who we are.
This fact remains prevalent throughout everything we do in life and being able to explain our selves becomes useful epically when attempting to enter an institution of higher education.
The first time I applied and was accepted to a college was nearly eight years ago now. I fully believe I would not have been accepted had it not been for my admissions essay.
Fast forward seven years and I found my self yet again applying to universities. This time I wrote a slightly different essay than my first and I believe sharing this essay could possibly help those of you out there.
Perhaps help with deciding how to write an admission essay but hopefully more so help place words into the feelings you have about your life.
Below is the copy paste, errors and all, of my admission essay which helped lead to an acceptance letter to Flagler College to study under their political science and journalism programs.
Forewarning, this speaks of overdose, parents death, and the very details behind them. If you are struggling with those various things it may be a hard read at first.
The Companion of Wisdom
When people talk of tragedy, they speak of the awful incidents within their lives. Often, it is because they wish to make up for mistakes made or perhaps to garner compassion from those listening. When I speak to you about a defining moment of my life, it is a tragedy; however it is not to make up for what I lack. I do not speak of it to gain sympathy nor empathy from the reader. I speak of it to show how I lived life despite of and not because.
A month after my fifteenth birthday I awoke to my father lifeless on the couch due to a drug overdose. The scream of my mother echoed through my ears. I tried to resuscitate him, an attempt to bring one single heartbeat against his chest but it was all for naught. The following months became a haze; going into my sophomore year of high school I felt detached from everyone around me. The path I was on should have led me into depression or failure, and for a brief moment it did. I stood still, and the world kept moving. Yet the world exposed me to something else, instead of focusing on his death and the dispassion from those around me. I began to focus on the love my father showed me, the beauty of my surroundings, and the love and support my friends and family expressed. I focused on knowledge and the ability to make a better future regardless of any tragedy I may encounter. I discovered a new found joy in college erudition. In the sense of accomplishment from hard labor and traveling across the states. I enlisted into the Marine Corps and earned the rank of Sergeant. I traveled the world and I immersed myself into a sea of knowledge, so that when the time came I would know how to swim. Looking back, I believe it was the greatest gift my father ever gave me. Through great tragedy, his death allowed me to see the world for all it was. Like a grand painting, the bright colors only shine bright because of the contrast the dark gives them. Through those dark times, I was better able to see the bright ones. I wish for nothing more than to continue to dive deeper into this world and what it has to offer. This essay only scratches the surface of the experiences I’ve had, and the goals I have set forth in front of me. Being offered an opportunity to dedicate my time to the pursuit of knowledge will allow me to become a better person in order to make a better world.
“Even in death there is grace, for true knowledge and wisdom to be gained one must suffer pain and not falter from the life their lord gave” - Dustin H. Williams
If any one is struggling in life, feel free to reach out to me I would rather take a few minutes out of my life to save the many years of yours.