Personal Statement
So this is the essay that I sent to a lot of the colleges I applied. I think its pretty good simple.short. and sweet ..exactly what a personal statement should be. Just a heads up theres a little bit of verisimilitude ..meaning that all of this is true but theres a little bit of fiction in it.. But yess.. I hope you like ..its not like emotional or a tearjerker but an epiphany I had.
Ten thousand miles, four layovers, and twenty two hours concluded with a toilet. In the summer of 2008, a team of twenty teenagers went to Malawi to participate in an orphan outreach program called K.I.N.D.L.E . On the first day I was ready to trek through the wilderness of Africa fighting poverty, helping the sick, and rescuing the orphans. Imagine my despair when I ended up in a five by five room chiseling away at cement for the placement of a single toilet. Everyone else worked on building bridges, wells, and houses. As I worked alone in the cramped room with a cloud of mosquitoes buzzing above my head I wondered to myself, “what am I doing here?” I felt useless. Despite my reluctance, after six days I was standing in front of a gleaming white bowl. To my amazement, as our team ate lunch, I saw a line form in front of the bathroom. It was at that moment I began to realize my selfishness and arrogance. I had forgotten the importance of something as basic as a toilet. My desire for grand schemes blinded me from appreciating the importance of the simple things. Though I did nothing as heroic as saving a village I was able to make a difference by providing a common necessity. Giving to the community does not entail glamour but small and humble actions that have the potential of making a substantial difference. As the trip drew to an end, I visited that five by five room one last time. I shut the door behind me, opened the lid, and pushed down the lever. The water swirled around in circles and I smiled as it finished with that unmistakable flush. After ten thousand miles, four layovers, and twenty two hours, I returned home to my mother who asked “where did you spend the most time?”
I answered “the toilet Mom, the toilet
