Undergraduate / 'taking pictures and doing yoga' - Personal Statement *Assistance* [2]

A prison with no bars, having a life without meaning, time moving slow, confined only
by the words of your creators. I was a prisoner in my own house, more of a slave. Every person
has their own breakout story of escaping their dungeon, guarded by two furious dragons. On the
other hand, I always pictured a knight or anyone for a matter of fact, to burst into my dungeon,
defeat the dragons with kindness and take me away to some fancy glorious loft in downtown
Manhattan. A little too much to ask for I realized, when no prince charming came knocking. It
was up to me to save myself from being a loner. Books became my best friends, with my dog
named, Prince, my sidekick. Prince and I patrolled the book stores of Downtown New York
after school a on the regular basis. My dog Prince was the only "prince" I had. During one of our
patrols, Prince and I saw another potential prince; the one I thought would rescue me from my
dungeon. We scouted and followed him into a book store, surprisingly. We ended up fancying
one another and we had quite a lot, not in common. He was more of an outgoing, wild type
and I seemed more of a scared salmon after watching shark week. During my teenage years,
my parents and I often batted about how much they wanted me to stay in the house. I was very
introverted. The story of how Prince two helped to open up my eyes to the wonders of New York
City is important, because it has helped me realize that people need to stand up for themselves
and put themselves out there in order to be successful in life.

He was a charmer but, most importantly someone who taught me the meaning of life other than
my parents. He introduced me to many things unknown to me, learning that in Central Park
there is far more beauty to be explored then what just met my eyes; it was like entering a jungle
within the city. Photography became a passion of mine. To capture the beauty of a pond on an
autumn afternoon, with the leaves being the perfect combination of orange and yellow. Knowing
that small tree won't be that much more beautiful, or ever look like that again. Instead that same
small tree will one day stand tall with the others knowing it belonged with the rest of them. A
little too poetic for my taste, but it fits in with my interest of the constant new things the city can
hold.

I seemed to learn new things every month, from salsa, to yoga, to a love for skydiving,
rollercoasters etc. My parents at first didn't allow me to do many things, but as they noticed I
was becoming happier they became more forthcoming to my new found love for life. I was a
caterpillar ready to come out of my cozy cocoon, entering the world once again a new colorful
free butterfly. It was then I realized at that point of my life as if time had frozen, there was much
more left to explore something beyond high school or what my eyes had seen. No longer looking
at that closed trapped girl in her cage, but a headstrong individual woman that knows what she
wants and goes after it. Time and time again, I replay this scene in my head, smiling. Picturing
the battle of Prince and Prince two, fighting off the two dragons with kindness in the open doors
of the dungeon, while I dance riding on a rollercoaster, taking pictures and doing yoga all at the
same time.