Personal Statement
Hayley Lawrence
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” I along with everyone else in the world have faced many struggles, but how we decided to deal with them are quite different. I have faced many battles throughout high school, my constant struggle to keep straight A’s, the daily pressure from my parents to make something of my sports career or to do the right thing twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and the usual drama that comes with being a teenager.
Although these struggles don’t seem like much and there are people out there battling deadly diseases or fighting disastrous wars, these little struggles have impacted me greatly. Everyday I wake up to the same stressful life, I have to display my knowledge through my grades that can easily slip, I try to please my parents to make them proud, and I push away the continuous thought that I’m not good enough.
I finally decided I have had enough. I have wasted the past three years of my life stressing about the struggles I faced, not enjoying my last years before I face the real world by myself before I am no longer a kid worrying about the pressures of school, but an adult worrying about the pressures of living. This last year of high school, my senior year, I am venturing out, learning and experiencing new things that I thought I would never like, but I ended up loving. I am still challenging myself in every way I can. I am taking two AP classes, working a job on the little free time I have, and still completely committed to the sports I participate in and the extra school activities I have volunteered for. While making the best of my senior year, I have realized that I’m proud of who I am and what I have accomplished, my knowledge and skills are beyond the small desks and plain classroom walls, and I’m good enough to accomplish any dreams or aspirations I have.
All my life I have wanted to build myself up and become the best person I can be. I don’t want to change the world, but I want to contribute to the good in it. I want to help people; I want to be a person someone can come to. Being a nurse, I can contribute to the community, I become part of people’s lives and help them preserver through their battles and hardships. I knew I wanted to be a nurse the day I walked through the halls of the children’s hospital in Fresno. Walking through the front doors, I didn’t know what to expect; the huge animal statues and vibrant colors of the building made me feel content and comforting like I was going to be in a fun atmosphere, but the smell of the variety of chemicals used to clean the inside reassured me that there was nothing fun nor comforting about being in this hospital. Signing in and making my way to the room my best friend was held captive in, I seen the most horrible yet beautiful image I’ve ever laid my eyes on, horrible in the sense that at least thirty children were fatally ill in this one hallway, but beautiful because their souls and spirits showed otherwise. Their strong spirits where filled with thanks and they were blessed to spend another day by their family, laughing and not worrying about anything else. Experiencing the walk changed my life, I knew I would never want another kid to go through that, but unfortunately I know that’s a dream that will never be reached.
I have grown up tremendously over the past four years; I have developed new skills that I demonstrate on a daily bases. I exemplify flexibility, great work ethic, and the ability to self-motivate myself and others. My ability to socialize with new and different people assists me in enhancing my motivational skills. I am optimistic so I help build people up and always see the positive end of things because I, like Emerson, let my strong character help me overcome my past challenges and future worries.
Hayley Lawrence
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” I along with everyone else in the world have faced many struggles, but how we decided to deal with them are quite different. I have faced many battles throughout high school, my constant struggle to keep straight A’s, the daily pressure from my parents to make something of my sports career or to do the right thing twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and the usual drama that comes with being a teenager.
Although these struggles don’t seem like much and there are people out there battling deadly diseases or fighting disastrous wars, these little struggles have impacted me greatly. Everyday I wake up to the same stressful life, I have to display my knowledge through my grades that can easily slip, I try to please my parents to make them proud, and I push away the continuous thought that I’m not good enough.
I finally decided I have had enough. I have wasted the past three years of my life stressing about the struggles I faced, not enjoying my last years before I face the real world by myself before I am no longer a kid worrying about the pressures of school, but an adult worrying about the pressures of living. This last year of high school, my senior year, I am venturing out, learning and experiencing new things that I thought I would never like, but I ended up loving. I am still challenging myself in every way I can. I am taking two AP classes, working a job on the little free time I have, and still completely committed to the sports I participate in and the extra school activities I have volunteered for. While making the best of my senior year, I have realized that I’m proud of who I am and what I have accomplished, my knowledge and skills are beyond the small desks and plain classroom walls, and I’m good enough to accomplish any dreams or aspirations I have.
All my life I have wanted to build myself up and become the best person I can be. I don’t want to change the world, but I want to contribute to the good in it. I want to help people; I want to be a person someone can come to. Being a nurse, I can contribute to the community, I become part of people’s lives and help them preserver through their battles and hardships. I knew I wanted to be a nurse the day I walked through the halls of the children’s hospital in Fresno. Walking through the front doors, I didn’t know what to expect; the huge animal statues and vibrant colors of the building made me feel content and comforting like I was going to be in a fun atmosphere, but the smell of the variety of chemicals used to clean the inside reassured me that there was nothing fun nor comforting about being in this hospital. Signing in and making my way to the room my best friend was held captive in, I seen the most horrible yet beautiful image I’ve ever laid my eyes on, horrible in the sense that at least thirty children were fatally ill in this one hallway, but beautiful because their souls and spirits showed otherwise. Their strong spirits where filled with thanks and they were blessed to spend another day by their family, laughing and not worrying about anything else. Experiencing the walk changed my life, I knew I would never want another kid to go through that, but unfortunately I know that’s a dream that will never be reached.
I have grown up tremendously over the past four years; I have developed new skills that I demonstrate on a daily bases. I exemplify flexibility, great work ethic, and the ability to self-motivate myself and others. My ability to socialize with new and different people assists me in enhancing my motivational skills. I am optimistic so I help build people up and always see the positive end of things because I, like Emerson, let my strong character help me overcome my past challenges and future worries.