- Posts: 3
- Joined: Jan 04, 2016
- Mon Jan 04, 2016 12:52 am
#21458
My personal statement is about my personal background and how I grew up exposed to music. I have studied piano, vocal performance, and music theory all my life. I relate the mindset it instilled in me to two experiences in my life where I decided to change my situation for the better: a research position and an internship. I'd really appreciate some feedback! I have read this so many times, I feel I'm becoming too used to it to critique properly!
"I’ve heard on many occasions that people are a product of their environment, and while I tend to agree with this, my personal experiences lead me to believe that this phrase undermines just how actively people play a role in creating their environment as well. In many situations, I have the been able to change my environment for the better, and I have learned to overcome obstacles by asking myself, “How can I improve the situation I am in and how can I improve myself?” In my case, my personal background instilled this mentality in me.
A central factor in what has shaped me as an individual is that many of my family members are skilled musicians, which exposed me to music starting at a young age. In fact, my father is a professional musician, composer, and professor. Naturally, when I became tall enough to reach the pedals on the piano, I began learning how to play. From that time onward, I have studied classical piano, vocal performance, and music theory. After years of musical training, I have come to appreciate the way my experience has taught me to adopt a mindset of persistence. Studying music entails developing memorization skills, language skills, and overcoming performance anxiety- all of which required dedication and determination. Without a doubt, I felt passionate about studying and performing, which was the source of my motivation. Although motivation was important, having a dedicated mindset was the most critical aspect in my studies. Even though I did not pursue a career in music like many of my family members, that environment instilled values in me that have impacted me as an individual, student, and employee.
During my time as a research assistant in the Communication Department at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I quickly learned that I was the determining factor in how satisfied I was with my job and how much I could contribute to the research project. As a research assistant, I transcribed and coded emergency response team meeting footage, which entailed utilizing and giving my feedback on Elan, a new and underdeveloped software program. When I began working with this software I encountered a myriad of technical issues: the program would crash during every session, the work would rarely be saved, and I became frustrated whenever I used the complicated shortcuts that ironically made the process more lengthy. Instead of admitting defeat or succumbing to frustration, I sought out a way to innovate. I compiled notes on all the technical headaches I experienced, and worked with my research team to test how the software reacted with different computers. Through this process, I was able to come to the conclusion that the software worked best with Dell and Hewlett-Packard computers. After that discovery, many of the technical problems the research team experienced improved significantly. I also compiled all the most useful operation shortcuts, which made transcribing and coding easier for both myself and the other researcher assistants. Through these actions, I changed my environment by finding ways to improve the technology I was using.
During my time as an intern in the Anti-Money Laundering Investigating Unit at First Bank, I experienced an intimidating learning curve. On the first day, my excitement over learning about anti-terrorism laws gradually developed into feeling inadequate and overwhelmed. I had to quickly become acquainted with government anti-terrorism legislature, banking software, and the unit’s complex organization system. Again I thought, “What could I do to make this situation better?” Instead of doing the bare minimum or accepting mediocracy, I asked for help from my colleagues and wrote myself detailed notes, developing the skills I needed more quickly. Although I possessed no control over the difficulty of the work or the complex system, I changed my environment by improving myself.
Throughout my life, I have dedicated myself to studying music, which has impacted how I deal with obstacles in any aspect of my life. Truly, it is empowering to know that I am the architect that shapes both myself and my future. As I stated earlier, every person is shaped by their environment, but understanding how I have been able to change my environment is the key to understanding who I am as a person. If my past is any indication of my future, I can expect many more challenges to come my way, but I can also expect to have the tools and the dedication required to succeed."
"I’ve heard on many occasions that people are a product of their environment, and while I tend to agree with this, my personal experiences lead me to believe that this phrase undermines just how actively people play a role in creating their environment as well. In many situations, I have the been able to change my environment for the better, and I have learned to overcome obstacles by asking myself, “How can I improve the situation I am in and how can I improve myself?” In my case, my personal background instilled this mentality in me.
A central factor in what has shaped me as an individual is that many of my family members are skilled musicians, which exposed me to music starting at a young age. In fact, my father is a professional musician, composer, and professor. Naturally, when I became tall enough to reach the pedals on the piano, I began learning how to play. From that time onward, I have studied classical piano, vocal performance, and music theory. After years of musical training, I have come to appreciate the way my experience has taught me to adopt a mindset of persistence. Studying music entails developing memorization skills, language skills, and overcoming performance anxiety- all of which required dedication and determination. Without a doubt, I felt passionate about studying and performing, which was the source of my motivation. Although motivation was important, having a dedicated mindset was the most critical aspect in my studies. Even though I did not pursue a career in music like many of my family members, that environment instilled values in me that have impacted me as an individual, student, and employee.
During my time as a research assistant in the Communication Department at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I quickly learned that I was the determining factor in how satisfied I was with my job and how much I could contribute to the research project. As a research assistant, I transcribed and coded emergency response team meeting footage, which entailed utilizing and giving my feedback on Elan, a new and underdeveloped software program. When I began working with this software I encountered a myriad of technical issues: the program would crash during every session, the work would rarely be saved, and I became frustrated whenever I used the complicated shortcuts that ironically made the process more lengthy. Instead of admitting defeat or succumbing to frustration, I sought out a way to innovate. I compiled notes on all the technical headaches I experienced, and worked with my research team to test how the software reacted with different computers. Through this process, I was able to come to the conclusion that the software worked best with Dell and Hewlett-Packard computers. After that discovery, many of the technical problems the research team experienced improved significantly. I also compiled all the most useful operation shortcuts, which made transcribing and coding easier for both myself and the other researcher assistants. Through these actions, I changed my environment by finding ways to improve the technology I was using.
During my time as an intern in the Anti-Money Laundering Investigating Unit at First Bank, I experienced an intimidating learning curve. On the first day, my excitement over learning about anti-terrorism laws gradually developed into feeling inadequate and overwhelmed. I had to quickly become acquainted with government anti-terrorism legislature, banking software, and the unit’s complex organization system. Again I thought, “What could I do to make this situation better?” Instead of doing the bare minimum or accepting mediocracy, I asked for help from my colleagues and wrote myself detailed notes, developing the skills I needed more quickly. Although I possessed no control over the difficulty of the work or the complex system, I changed my environment by improving myself.
Throughout my life, I have dedicated myself to studying music, which has impacted how I deal with obstacles in any aspect of my life. Truly, it is empowering to know that I am the architect that shapes both myself and my future. As I stated earlier, every person is shaped by their environment, but understanding how I have been able to change my environment is the key to understanding who I am as a person. If my past is any indication of my future, I can expect many more challenges to come my way, but I can also expect to have the tools and the dedication required to succeed."
