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.
(Hi! I need some help with my essay. Thanks )
My interest in Psychology sparked when I first moved to the United States seven years ago. Moving from the city of Hong Kong to the suburbs of Indiana, the culture shock was hard to adjust to at first but eventually it became easier. I found it amazing that when we first moved into our house in Indiana, our neighbors were so warm and welcoming towards us and acted as if they had known us for over a decade already. I started to become curious as to how people from different cultures with different backgrounds and believes could get along so well. After taking an Anatomy and Physiology class in high school, I became intrigued with the capacity and complexity of the human brain. I wanted to know how the brain was able to control everything our body; from hunger to emotions to the movement of our eyelids.
My interest in Psychology intensified when I took my first Psychology class in College of the Canyons. After learning about topics ranging from classical conditioning to the theories of Sigmund Freud, Psychology made me want to dig deeper about human behavior, emotions and how the mind works. Since the first day of Psychology class, classical conditioning has always intrigued me, after learning about this theory, I realized that classical conditioning has become part of our daily lives as well. Using Pavlov's dogs for example, I found it amazing how you can condition a dog to salivate at the sound of a bell without presenting the it with food.
As I learned more about Psychology, I was able to use that knowledge and apply it to my daily life. In 2009, I started to work for a Japanese restaurant as a waitress. Being a waitress, I was constantly faced with difficult customers and had to find a way to calm them down. At first, I thought avoiding them would solve the problem, but this got the customers even more irate. Eventually, as I stood at a table with the customer yelling at me, I recalled from my Psychology class that the best way to calm an angry person down is to stay calm, keep smiling and apologize. I was amazed at how this method works. At the end of the confrontation, many customers who were being difficult at first, walked away with smiles on their faces and some even thanked me for being so patient and understanding.
Looking back, I have realized that Psychology plays an important role in daily life. Through these experiences, my interest for Psychology has grown even stronger and made me realize that having chosen this major was the way to go to help me become a good and successful doctor in the future.
