Undergraduate / I speak out about my religious belief; College Application Essay to TAMU [2]

Describe a setting in which you have collaborated or interacted with people whose experiences and/or beliefs differ from yours. Address your initial feelings, and how those feelings were or were not changed by this experience.

Nearly everyday that I speak out about my religious belief, Im ostracized for sharing my thoughts. Outright saying my belief in front of my peers or even my family is met with resistance. Im not allowed to be part of entire institutions, social groups, or considerations solely on my religious preference. If I speak out among opposite minded individuals, I am met with conflict. Though I have no doubts on what I believe, and I know there are many who share my belief, I still feel as if I am distanced to those who have a belief. I am an Atheist.

In today's world I feel that I'm more ostracized than any one particular race or religion. I've been called immoral, evil, and worthless. Its perfectly socially acceptable to say "God Bless", but if I even mention how I am not religious, I get looked at and treated as if I'm some sort of monster. Everyday speech with a person can set the setting for how badly I am going to be judged, just by a slip of my tongue.

I used to hide it deep inside that I've never read the bible; That I've been to a church only twice; That I've never believed even in the concept of a higher power, because I thought I knew for those reasons that Id be seen as less of a person. Just because I don't pray before dinner and wake up early on Sunday, doesn't make me a monster. I don't go around murdering the masses, lusting anything with a pulse, or am filled with an irascible wrath just because of my disbelief. I have my own moral beliefs on what is right and wrong based on my thoughts and experiences. My feelings prior to today were that of apprehension, seclusion, and fear of sharing what I believed. All because I have no belief.

Over time and being subjected to several Atheism bashing experiences, I found that instead of lying to seem very neutral to religion, being honest about how I felt led to me feeling better about myself. My thoughts have not changed but my attitude for sharing those same thoughts has tremendously. If someone asks me what church I go to, I will say "I don't go". If someone asks me what division I am, I will say "I don't have one". And if someone asks me if I am religious, I will say "Not at all". Religion to me is a collection of moral beliefs that one person justifies as being right or wrong. That is exactly what I am doing on my own.

I'm not the monster underneath the bed. I'm not the one crucifying religion. I'm not an immoral pleasure seeker, and I am most definetly not the devil in sheeps clothing. I am just an Athiest.

Any critique is welcomed.

Writing Feedback / To have my own zoo that exhibits a focus on reptiles ; lifetime goals [2]

Considering your lifetime goals, discuss how your current and future academic and extra-curricular activities might help you achieve your goals.

My lifetime goal is to have my own zoo that exhibits a focus on reptiles and the advancement of animal knowledge. This goal is concrete and impossible to deviate from in my mind. Everything I do now and hope to do in the future is geared towards either the advancement of my knowledge of animals, or toward the prospect of running a zoo.

Currently I am working at an exotic pet-store that has a focus on reptiles and fish. While I know much about the aspects of fish keeping, my expertise lies with reptiles. I constantly am expanding my knowledge and am trying to improve on the ways that many species are being kept in captivity. While to some it may seem like a job I see it as a way to prepare myself for my future. While running the reptile section in its entirety I feel as if its a preview to my future in the world of zoo keeping.

For a while I was also a plant caretaker at my grandfathers aquarium manufacturing plant. There I took care of many exotic species of terrestrial and aquatic plants and know how they relate with one another and how they grow. I also have a key role in the design of many tanks used for reptiles and amphibians as well as being a consult for other zoological societies on their reptile husbandry. I will work as an installer for national and international jobs, mainly installing pet store fixtures, but I specialize in decoration of large scale exhibits and tanks with live plants and animals. This whole combination of jobs I believe will help me in designing attractive yet effective exhibits for the future animals of my zoo, whether they be fish, reptiles, or any animal large and small.

In terms of academia, I currently am choosing classes and subjects that best support what my goals are. Being a self taught homeschooler I have a generally wider array of options at my disposal. At the time of this writing I am taking an Animal Behavior course taught from University of Melbourne, Teaching myself all the details of chemistry, and have completed Biology, taking notes straight from a text book then subsequently taking a Biology SAT and making a 740. My entire academic choices are geared either towards learning what I need for a zoo or for getting into college in order to further my zoological education.

In the future I will be getting a Doctorate for zoology. I am adamant about the point. I do not want only a four year degree or to be regarded as knowledgeable in my field. I want to be the best in my field. I will be joining any club or activity that relates to the zoology or herpetological field, as well as any chance to work directly with or for a zoo of any size shape or form. My goals in life are set in stone and I will complete them at any cost.

I want everything from grammatical errors to just general improvement. Thank you!

Undergraduate / When I was fifteen I started to work at my family's pet store; Conflict in life [4]

Describe a circumstance, obstacle or conflict in your life, and the skills and resources you used to resolve it. Did it change you? If so, how?

When I was fifteen I started to work at my family's pet store. I had this unnatural attraction to the reptiles ever since I was very young. So naturally I struck up a friendship with the current reptile manager, Frankie. For a while I thought he was great. We got along wonderfully and we would hang out almost every week. However I began to notice that his care of the reptiles was completely reckless, unstructured, and detrimental to their health. His knowledge on reptiles was utterly wrong or over exaggerated in order to accentuate his reputation. So I learned the care and started to do a feeding here or a cleaning there until eventually, I ran the entire section within a year

This, I thought, put no strain onto our friendship. He was always busy going out back to talk to customers, or so I thought, and I was picking up his "slack". Eventually I took more risks. I brought in more large, powerful reptiles; venomous, aggressive tarantulas; rare, difficult amphibians; I'd have feeding demonstrations using only my bare hands to show reptile docility in captivity. Most of the risks I took payed off, bringing loads of customers to the store. Customers started to notice that my info was correct and that reptiles weren't as menacing as once thought. My passion was showing through and I was known as the reptile expert.

One day I heard something very difficult for me to swallow. Frankie was telling every customer that I was learning from him, I had no idea what I was talking about and that he was running not only the reptile section, but the entire store. I pushed his blatant lies aside and continued studying the animals which I loved, making that section the most amazing and well kept section in the entire store.

I knew he had to be stopped however, but how? I cant go around accusing Frankie of lying and hope that he admits. I cant go out and yell at him either, knowing that would solve absolutely nothing. So I finally decided to outsmart him with pure knowledge. Every customer that came in, I would talk to. Do nothing but talk. They would start to ask me about each reptile and I would recite the exact care, scientific name, and attitude of every specific reptile. When Frankie slipped up on information on an animal, I'd correct him in the nicest way possible. When he refused to budge on information I'd asked if we'd want to go look it up. Not wanting to instill doubt in the customer he agreed, to which he would be proven wrong. When a customer came back with a sick reptile sold with information from Frankie I was the one who stepped in and relieved the situation. Although not my fault I would take the blame saying it was my section and its my fault that proper information was not given to the customer. Frankie would try to undermine me over and over but I would not let him. I stood strong; High and above his lies.

Frankie was eventually fired for dealing drugs in our parking lot. This came to no surprise to me. His constant "meetings" with customers in the back of the store raised suspicion. Frankie was a bad man, and I am glad that I chose to come out above him in any way possible. He did however change me. By being as malicious as he was I found my true calling for reptiles and that I am strong as long as I have knowledge to back me up. By being the way he was he made me the best that I could possibly be, and the type of person that I want to be. One who comes out on top not via yelling, or force, but with wisdom. For that I thank him.

Please any thoughts are welcome. I want this to be the best possible essay.