I would greatly appreciate any help on this essay and would gladly return the favor. I have qualms about the end. Much thanks to anyone who proof-read!
1. One of the principles of Villanova, as an Augustinian university founded on the teachings of St. Augustine, is that students and faculty learn from each other. As you imagine yourself as a member of the Villanova community, what is one lesson that you have learned in your life that you will want to share with others?
Words: 500
South Philly was where I lived and called home. I slept to the sound of traffic while blue and red police lights flickered through my window. I was a city kid who knew every local bus route and could not get lost in South Philly if I tried. One can imagine my reaction when my parents told me we were moving to Hopewell, Virginia. Images of corn-fields entered my mind when I heard the news. I asked myself: "Who would want to live in 'the country'?" I was reluctant to leave but had no choice. In 2006, I left the fast-paced city and went south.
Upon arriving, I inhaled the air. It hung with an crisp smell difficult to identify. Our new home was not a row-home, but a ranch style house sprawled upon a green lawn. There were no buses, and trees were everywhere. The eerie quiet unsettled me. I could not bear to call Hopewell home. By my last year in Virginia, however, things had changed. I identified the crisp smell as clean air, something absent in the city. I liked our ranch style home. I often read on the deck in the backyard, sporting a farmer's hat to keep the sun from my eyes. In our quiet neighborhood, I found myself alone with my thoughts and enjoyed reflecting in the silence. I found beauty in the trees, and enjoyed litter-free sidewalks. My ears had accustomed to the southern drawl, and the absence of buses was no longer disturbing. Things were peaceful.
When my parents announced in 2009 that we were moving back to the city, I was conflicted. I re-conjured the corn field images and thought about that question: "who would want to live in 'the country'?" When I returned to the city, I could not sleep because of the same traffic noises and police lights. There were new bus routes, the air choked my lungs, and life moved quicker than in Hopewell. It took weeks to re-acclimate, but things were never the same. Living in Hopewell opened my eyes. I realized I was prejudiced and judgmental towards the south without experiencing it. Once I did, my negative perspective of the south changed. I never thought that the answer to who would want to live in "the country" would be a city boy like myself.
As a freshman, the lesson I would want to share with the Villanova community is to avoid being unjustly prejudiced or judgmental towards anything. Following this principle can help everyone learn and uncover some surprising things about themselves. This principle is applicable in all aspects of life; whether it is with people, a subject, a class, a sport, a book, a food, or even a location, approaching the subject with as much of an unbiased mindset as humanly possible could cause perspectives to change and paradigms to shift, potentially exposing new interests. Be open minded to new things or experiences. One may never know what they might enjoy unless they experience it.
1. One of the principles of Villanova, as an Augustinian university founded on the teachings of St. Augustine, is that students and faculty learn from each other. As you imagine yourself as a member of the Villanova community, what is one lesson that you have learned in your life that you will want to share with others?
Words: 500
South Philly was where I lived and called home. I slept to the sound of traffic while blue and red police lights flickered through my window. I was a city kid who knew every local bus route and could not get lost in South Philly if I tried. One can imagine my reaction when my parents told me we were moving to Hopewell, Virginia. Images of corn-fields entered my mind when I heard the news. I asked myself: "Who would want to live in 'the country'?" I was reluctant to leave but had no choice. In 2006, I left the fast-paced city and went south.
Upon arriving, I inhaled the air. It hung with an crisp smell difficult to identify. Our new home was not a row-home, but a ranch style house sprawled upon a green lawn. There were no buses, and trees were everywhere. The eerie quiet unsettled me. I could not bear to call Hopewell home. By my last year in Virginia, however, things had changed. I identified the crisp smell as clean air, something absent in the city. I liked our ranch style home. I often read on the deck in the backyard, sporting a farmer's hat to keep the sun from my eyes. In our quiet neighborhood, I found myself alone with my thoughts and enjoyed reflecting in the silence. I found beauty in the trees, and enjoyed litter-free sidewalks. My ears had accustomed to the southern drawl, and the absence of buses was no longer disturbing. Things were peaceful.
When my parents announced in 2009 that we were moving back to the city, I was conflicted. I re-conjured the corn field images and thought about that question: "who would want to live in 'the country'?" When I returned to the city, I could not sleep because of the same traffic noises and police lights. There were new bus routes, the air choked my lungs, and life moved quicker than in Hopewell. It took weeks to re-acclimate, but things were never the same. Living in Hopewell opened my eyes. I realized I was prejudiced and judgmental towards the south without experiencing it. Once I did, my negative perspective of the south changed. I never thought that the answer to who would want to live in "the country" would be a city boy like myself.
As a freshman, the lesson I would want to share with the Villanova community is to avoid being unjustly prejudiced or judgmental towards anything. Following this principle can help everyone learn and uncover some surprising things about themselves. This principle is applicable in all aspects of life; whether it is with people, a subject, a class, a sport, a book, a food, or even a location, approaching the subject with as much of an unbiased mindset as humanly possible could cause perspectives to change and paradigms to shift, potentially exposing new interests. Be open minded to new things or experiences. One may never know what they might enjoy unless they experience it.
