Undergraduate / UC Davis: Renaissance & Romanticism; From Death Comes Life [3]

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?

The 14th century was a time of innovation, creativity, and rebirth. This was a period of time known as the Renaissance. Personally, I believe that everyone at some point in time is reborn again, whether emotionally, physically, or psychologically. My personal emotional and academic Renaissance occurred in 2008 after the loss of someone I cared for deeply.

For years leading up to 2008, I was in an emotional void. There were periods where I felt a fake happiness, an awkward satisfaction, but mostly, it was indifference and apathy. For a period of time, days just ran together and nothing mattered, especially school. This got worse as people I knew died. Aaron who was murdered, Erric who committed suicide, but worst of all Eric L.

Eric, the blond haired athlete with a crooked smile fell asleep at the wheel, ran off the road, and into a tree. Drivers who reported the accident stated his car was in flames. The moment I got the news that he died, I broke down in tears. It was only a few months ago that I fell asleep at the wheel, ran off the road, and ran into a guard rail. Why should Eric, the young man with a bright future, full ride scholarship, family and friends that loved and adored him die when I was just sitting around wasting my life away? That night I spent wide awake staring at my ceiling thinking of everyone I had lost. They were more than just classmates; they were neighbors, and most importantly friends.

It was during this time when I stopped altogether. I stopped attending classes, I stopped opening books. I never turned to drugs or alcohol, but I became quiet and withdrawn. Eventually, I received an "academic dismissal" and for a while that was fine with me. But then, I watched as my high school graduating class of 2007 was starting their senior years in college and here I was. I was still a freshman in college for five years running. I decided that I was going to change, and I was determined to get somewhere in life.

The first thing I did was go to my doctor and talk about my depression issues. The next day, I was in my counselor's office, signing a readmission petition. I took a study skills class, and speech class to boost my self-confidence in school. I took an introduction to government and law and societies class and realized my passion was with government and law. Today, my GPA has swelled from a 1.something to a 3.1, and I feel alive again.

Another personal quality I've heard I embody is the idea of Romanticism, or an innocent idealism. The goals I work towards are often lofty, such as human rights law, and working to end the use of child soldiers by rebel forces throughout the world. The romantic in me wants to make the world a better place for my children in the future. Today, I'm one step closer to creating a better world for my future children. I partnered with a martial arts/self defense expert to create a rape prevention website and blog. I intern for a non-profit organization that works internationally and domestically to better lives. I give advice to those who seek it. As life has gone on, so have I, working for a better tomorrow.

I feel as if the ending is rushed and the paper could be rephrased a little better, but I'm not sure how. I also know I need to trim the paper a bit because it's 565 words, so around 50 words too long. Any criticism, harsh and nice is appreciated, I just ask no flaming.