Undergraduate / "a lifetime to learn who you are as a person": Vires, Artes, Mortes [3]

The Latin words, "Vires, Artes, Mores" have been the guiding philosophy behind Florida State University. Vires signifies strength of all kinds - moral, physical, and intellectual; Artes alludes to the beauty of intellectual pursuits as exemplified in skill, craft, or art; and Mores refers to character, custom, or tradition. Describe how one or more of the values embodied in these concepts are reflected in your life.

The intrinsic worth of Vires, Artes, Mores all appears at a point in one's life, but the impacts that each chooses to take are what guide one to their peak of individualism. They naturally blend together to form a small foundation to building a whole person and give them the knowledge of which path to choose for themselves. Although a gradual learning process that fails to cease, the aspiration remains self-discovery. Through the specific art of improvisation, I have ventured to establish myself, learn from myself, and enhance the other aspects of strength and character.

I would say that I learned the skill of improvisation, but in reality, I created the skill of improvisation. Our bodies are our instruments of art. Improvisation is a way of self-expression that is not only carried out in my Horton modern dance class but in several different aspects. In a dim lighted room, I begin to dance to the music letting my body ripple to the underlying beat. My schism between art and artist has been blurred, allowing me to explore and thus create the notion of a "shared self", that is to say fusing together my technique with my artistry. The music picks up, and I notice my friends changing their rhythm to the staccato beat; I need to stop thinking and stop watching them. I remain slow, letting my body take control. It has unleashed my inner artist, allowing me to dance outside the lines, invoking my internal feelings and converting them into external movement. I share my entire self with the atmosphere surrounding me and let everything release within me. There are no thoughts running through my mind, I am in pure silence. I am listening to my soul and am deaf to the chaotic whirlwind around me. You can never recount the experience. It's not concrete or predictable. It's free spirited, impulsive, and often times unexplainable. Am I the art or the artist? I am both, creator and creation.

It takes a lifetime to learn who you are as a person and sometimes you can figure it out quickly. As individuals, we are not categorized into specific, neat explanations, but vary among them. This step to unlocking the thoughts in my conscience does not entirely fit into the broad category of art or skill. Improvisational dance is a type of strength that a dancer endures upon letting go of the anxious feelings and letting everything pour out on the dance floor. It takes intellectual strength to want to learn about oneself and create a method for people to clearly establish themselves. As this art gradually determines one's feelings and independence, the creation of a character and self begin to form. Therefore such Latin words can be expressed through many faces in one's life. Through my experiences of improvisation I have been able to release my daily stress, my worries, my weaknesses, and think about myself. I cannot say I have completely discovered myself as a seventeen year old, but I have begun the long road of seeking my individual character.

Undergraduate / "The news of my grandmother's passing" - Pepperdine Supplement [3]

I'm a little tight on time, ANY help is greatly appreciated! I'll be sure to return the favor

Pepperdine University is a Christian university committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. How are you prepared to contribute to Pepperdine's mission and community of faith, learning, and service? (500 words or less)

The news of my grandmother's passing had arrived on a warm sunny day, my twelfth birthday. We gathered at her house to sing and eat cake; the adults holding tears back to put forth some sort of happiness for the miserable day. It was then announced that I would be giving the eulogy at the funeral. What? Me? My uncle was already writing one. My nanny had become my guardian angel, I was chosen by her. Already faced with the devastation, this on top of it was just plain fear. I exclaimed I didn't want to do it, that I would cry and not be able to talk, that I was too young. My mother explained that I did not have to do it, but that my Nanny would really want me to.

Days later I stood in front of one hundred people and began to recite the first sentence of my eulogy. Shaking with fear I faced the people and vibrantly began to reflect on the short time I had with my Nanny and the impact she had on me. I had never faced the concept of death before, and with understanding of my catholic beliefs I began to trust my faith and bring the uplifting spiritual presence of the audience. It was the first time I had depended on my faith, and I felt that my faith depended on me. I would have never put myself into a situation such as opening up to a wide range of people and it was a learning experience. I felt that I was special in some way for her to leave earth on my special day and I had to overcome the initial shock to understand the part of life and communicate it to others. I had found strength in myself to believe in my faith and encourage my family to find the strength. This parallels to the Pepperdine standards of strengthening the lives of students in regard to faith, learning, and service through the challenge I overcame and its experience that changed my life.

Although I was frightened, I felt I was to be a pillar. I wanted to endure the strength and learn about death enough to overcome the rush of feelings. I would want to attend a university that values students who push through fear as if is invisible. Initially pushed into fear, I overcame it, and I want to succeed in providing motivation among fellow students. Experiences such as this are learning opportunities that shape me as a person. I want to be a part of a community that encourages strength among faith, service and learning because I want to open up to the world and contribute to what it gives us. I want to face dilemmas directly and help others to realize how they can grow from an experience. At Pepperdine University I feel that I can strengthen myself as a person through my faith and leadership by learning from my peers and motivating them.