Undergraduate / Fitness was a hobby that drastically changed my life - Personal Statement [2]

Personal Statement. CA Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity

Steven Chen

Please bear with my essay! My English skills suck

Fitness was a hobby that drastically changed my life. At an age of twelve I weighed around 150 pounds, and was only 5 feet. I was always low on self esteem and blaming this condition on genetics. I felt like I was cursed with some fat disease that caused me to swell into a huge peach. As a result, my father brought me to the gym and coached me. My heart, however, was never into it and I just sat around staring at the clock ticking and tocking. I gave up on the coaching after 2 weeks. It was just too strenuous. I kept thinking maybe when I reach adulthood some magical potion will end my fatness. As years went on, I just kept gaining weight until I was 200 pounds at 15. I was the center of gravity of food.

At an age of 15, however, I started to have trouble to do the slightest tasks. When I was tying my shoelaces, my heart rate was always 150. Bending over was a work out. I angrily decided I wasn't going to put up with this anymore. Life was too strenuous and hard. There must be something I can do,so I don't die of an heart attack when I tie my shoe laces. I wanted to change myself. More importantly,I wanted to do this for myself, not to abide to someone else's beliefs. The beginning was torture; It seemed like my nerves were mercilessly hammered with pain . Everyday I would contemplate why I was doing this, and tomorrow I would consistently answer myself that change takes payment. In the end I wanted to change more than anything else. I wanted to live a life where I wouldn't die from walking. At first, my determination was vibrant but ,as time went on, it started wilting. Every step felt like my body was basking the fires in hell, but slowly I paved my first baby steps by losing 10. The first 10 pounds struck me as the biggest threshold; As I kept continuing my journey, I found that not only did my body improve but also my self confidence and motivation. All those times when I thought about quitting dissipated as I keep trudging on this journey today. As time passed on, fitness became the turning point toward adulthood. I molded my own identity and morals from fitness. I left my old mentality of always castigating my own genetics or anything that I couldn't have a say in. I grew the mentality that change can't occur unless the effort is standing in front of it. For example, in the gym, I still hit personal records on all my lifts and continue to strive toward a transcendent goal. As I am hitting a new records, I push with the intent to lift Atlas's burden. My neurons go berserk as I struggle under the force of resistance. My muscles shake with the burning sensation as the tug of war between gravity and me takes its payment; Even though pain is always present, I find pleasure that I have the ability to improve myself. Because of fitness, I created a new character that seeped into my life. Oddly enough, the contrast between before and after is black and white. Some differences were my change in body, and mental health. I continually build who I want to become through my own self-improvement. There is always improvement whether it be in my diet plans and workout routine, or my studying timing or method. The journey through fitness was a prime step toward the path of my goals.

Undergraduate / Personal Narrative, Background story; Undergraduate Admissions [4]

Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. My writing is not great, so bare with it :(

Parents, the ones who pass on particular traits to their children, determine a child's biggest strength. My parents gave me the gift of perspective. It started when both my parents flew into America from a rural county in China, Fuzhou. My father came to America on November 1989,and my mother shorty came after him on March 1992. Neither of my parents had college education in China. My parents left everything behind when they came into the promised land. They worked in a sweltering metal restaurant for 12 hours a day to make ends meet. All of their funds poured into their children's education;a education that was not granted so easily to them. At an early age, I learned how lucky I was.The sugar-coated veil around the world faded from my eyes. To be successful was to word hard and stay head-strong. I live in a plot of land, and have a plethora supply of water. My stomach is never empty, and I can attend a system called education; a system most people in the world can not attend to. Because of their values in education, I will become trend along a path to become a Biomedical Engineer.

With the new profound motivation, I applied myself to get into BC Calculus and AP Biology. With every test, neurotransmitters flood into the synapses; each containing its own unique code of instructions to achieve success. My mind makes connections between two seemingly different objects. A certain problem stumps me on a test. I pour my resources into finding the answer to the test. My parents taught me how to function in times of stress. They were the symbol of the American dream. Drenched in sweat, they took received orders and managed a chef position in searing temperatures, I, on the other hand, continue master my brain to it's full potential. Even though I can't find it during a confined period, the question continues to lurk and pester my curiosity until I finally find a way to solve it. In addition to excelling in my studies, I learn from my dad life skills.

Outside of a confined school, my mind roams to find connections, and release stress. While I volunteer at Umass, I weave myself connections from the supervisors of my labor. I scout for jobs through volunteering. In addition, I attempt to find connections through Wendy's, a fast food joint I work at. I connect with PHD students and learn from their mistakes. I part In my free time, however, I lift weights. the weights pump adrenaline into the bloodstream. The stress just diffuses into the air. I set goals of maximum weights to bench, squat, and deadlift. When lifting the maximum weight, my blood rushes to my brain, and I lift the world off of atlas's shoulders. Afterwards, my body is broken of fatigue and I trend along with my stress dissipated; my mind, however, is sharp as needle afterwards. My parent's motivation is flaming within me. I invest that same flame to my pursuit to happiness; right now, to become a biomedical engineer, a person who will save lives from the his or her work.

Once narrowed to Boston University, I plan to achieve a master's degree and research my life-long goal, to improve someone's life through my work. Although I currently am unable to apply myself to this extent, I will get there through blood, sweat, and tears.