ESSAY #2: In an essay of 300 words or less, tell us something about yourself that isn't covered elsewhere in this application, some interest or experience of yours that you think the University of Illinois should know about as part of the admissions review.
In my time in the army, nothing was more important than the man next to us. We enjoyed together and we suffered together. The final 24 kilometer route march after which we would pass out as trained soldiers was particularly memorable for me.
My buddy's blisters were acting up and he was on the verge of falling out at the 16 km mark. However, I could not let him fall out; especially after all he had been through. I yelled, 'C'mon Jeff, keep going...No brain, no pain!'. I can still remember holding his hand throughout the final 8 km and pushing him on. Step by step, we reached the end point. Towards the end, my cramps got worse but Jeff and I pushed each other all the way to the finish, for we knew if we let each other give up then, we let each other down as friends. It took the life out of us, but we did it.
There was a saying in the army: 'do it for the guy next to you'. It was after the route march I realized the meaning behind these words- Life is not about ourselves, it is about the 'guy' next to us. It's about pushing each other to our limits and never giving up. After all, what is the pinnacle worth if one has nobody to share the view with?
I am proud to have been able to motivate and push my friends during times of adversity. It gives me great confidence and self-esteem to know that I can change someone's life and push them to reach their goals. I am more confident now in my ability to lead and inspire a group because of my experiences in the army. I look forward to reaching new heights at Illinois, together with the rest of the school.
In my time in the army, nothing was more important than the man next to us. We enjoyed together and we suffered together. The final 24 kilometer route march after which we would pass out as trained soldiers was particularly memorable for me.
My buddy's blisters were acting up and he was on the verge of falling out at the 16 km mark. However, I could not let him fall out; especially after all he had been through. I yelled, 'C'mon Jeff, keep going...No brain, no pain!'. I can still remember holding his hand throughout the final 8 km and pushing him on. Step by step, we reached the end point. Towards the end, my cramps got worse but Jeff and I pushed each other all the way to the finish, for we knew if we let each other give up then, we let each other down as friends. It took the life out of us, but we did it.
There was a saying in the army: 'do it for the guy next to you'. It was after the route march I realized the meaning behind these words- Life is not about ourselves, it is about the 'guy' next to us. It's about pushing each other to our limits and never giving up. After all, what is the pinnacle worth if one has nobody to share the view with?
I am proud to have been able to motivate and push my friends during times of adversity. It gives me great confidence and self-esteem to know that I can change someone's life and push them to reach their goals. I am more confident now in my ability to lead and inspire a group because of my experiences in the army. I look forward to reaching new heights at Illinois, together with the rest of the school.
