Undergraduate / Intended Major..." Cancer and Public Health Major" UC Transfer Essay #1 [2]

UC Essay #1
What is your intended major? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had in the field - such as volunteer work, internships and employment, participation in student organizations and activities - and what you have gained from your involvement.

"Assume positive intent." Although this phrase possess a different meaning in the retail world than it does in the public health, and human development world, the same underlying concept remains valid: even if something or someone's actions may appear detrimental on the surface, I must always search for the good in a situation. I had first heard this phrase during training for a new job; more recently, I have found ways to correlate it to previous life experiences; a difficult experience that made me question a saddening, but also vague obstacle.

In 2005, my grandmother was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, which took her life not too long afterwards. I continued to search for answers for her sudden death: she did not smoke, and no one around her had either. As I got older, I was able to construct another possible explanation for her disease: her environmental. Inadvertently, the toxins in the environment where she lived affected her quality of life. This realization introduced my curiosity and passion to understand the development of humans, and how our health is affected by externalaties. Her situation led me to want to study public health, and human development to be able to contribute to research and policies put into place to help improve the public's overall quality of life. Researching this subject has helped me learn how social, economic, and scientific factors have all contributed to ultimately worsen the environment over time; many professionals believe that we have affected our environment, and ultimately our health in irreversible ways. Even though we can not take back what has already happened, I am assuming positive intent in this overall subject of our health as a community; even though some people believe that the rescue for human health issues are unattainable, assuming positive intent allows me to desire to contribute to a change for future generations

My grandmothers story allowed me to think out side of the normal, and awaken my curiosity to how issues happen, and as well as giving me the determination to help contribute to a solution.

ANY ADVICE would be AMAZING! thank you please!

Undergraduate / "Personal Quality..." Adapting quickly - UC Transfer #2 [4]

Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?

During a job interview, the interviewer, who thereafter became my manager, asked me to describe one characteristic that I would use to describe myself. I made sure to go last to really think about a time in which one of my strongest qualities really pertained to a particular situation. One of my characteristic of learning on the fly so I could adapt to situations quickly came to mind when I had to overcome a difficult situation during my first quarter of college. Family circumstances caused for me and my family (mother, father, sister, and brother) to live with our other family members, who had seven people living in their home. A total of twelve people in one house allowed for significant adaption. Reallocation of resources for each individual of the household, as well as a change in routine constantly had me thinking on my feet; how would I go about my daily activities without impeding on the routines of others. While this was a significant change, I had to take what life gave to me; my actions because much more premeditated and I had to calculated factors of what others were doing to make sure I was balancing my needs with those of my relatives. This obstacle I had to face allowed me to become more resilient to change; although it did have an impact of my school work, the obstacle allowed me to showcase a quality that is significant for future life experiences.

I considered myself to be flexible and adaptable before this experience, but I found that my ability to overcome this experience helps me to present myself much more strongly to people I will face every day. So, when the interviewer asked me the question, I immediately described this quality, which proves to be relevant in the retail work force. Being able to adapt to different situations quickly helped me get though an unusual and sudden experience, and is also cause for praise in the work place.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE any and every piece of criticism would help so much! THANK YOU!

Undergraduate / 'live in another family member's house' Personal Quality -Adapting to a new situation [2]

UC Essay #2
Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?

Every individual is defined by significant life experiences that shape his or her life. I have defined myself with the characteristics that have been prevalent during the moments of my life that have made me a stronger individual. More specifically, overcoming difficulties in life allow for my most significant development. I had to overcome a difficult situation during my first quarter of college. Not only did this situation contribute to the person I have become today, but it showcased one of my strongest personal qualities: my ability to learn on the fly in over to be able to adapt to situations.

In the Fall of 2010, personal issues demanded for me and my family (mother, father, sister and brother) to live in another family member's house, which already had seven people living there. A total of twelve people living in a single family home called for quick adaptation to a new environment. I no longer had a bed to sleep in, or a quiet place to do homework. I exhausted my resources by staying in the library to study until it closed, and used the shower late at night so I would not bother anyone. Each one of my actions had to be premeditated to not impede on everyone else's busy daily lives. Along with the new responsibility of being a college student, I also started a part time job. All of these new chapters of my accumulated at a critical time; I had to work much harder to keep up with school, work, along with attempting to make living with eleven other family members work in a suitable way. Evident on my transcript, this situation had a negative affect my school work. However, it allowed me to feature a my ability to adapt what life has to give me, that is extremely important in the real world, and is evident in all major life experiences.

I considered my self to be flexible and prepared to take on life's challenges at any given moment. This experience helped reinforce how important it is for me to be able to live in a new environment and not let it significantly affect my daily activities, and how it truly does make me proud that I was still able to handle having a job, going to school and living in uncomfortable, and unusual circumstanced environment. This quality is critical to living in a world after college, when people are no longer sheltered by their parents or guardians; it allows me to take on new challenges, and opens up my opportunity for living in different places.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!