For almost one hundred years, the Latin words, "Vires, Artes, Mores" have been the guiding philosophy behind Florida State University. Vires signifies strength of all kinds - moral, physical, and intellectual; Artes alludes to the beauty of intellectual pursuits as exemplified in skill, craft, or art; and Mores refers to character, custom, or tradition. Describe how one or more of the values embodied in these concepts are reflected in your life. (500 Words)
"Vires" is what I exemplified the morning I got off the bus in Biloxi, Mississippi. I stood in front of a town that looked as if a bowling ball had torn down the streets knocking the buildings down along with it. The strength it took to compose myself in front of my classmates was enough to remind myself that though I lived three thousand miles away how connected I am to this city. I feel that as an American, it's our duty to help those who are less fortunate in any way possible. Even four years after the Hurricane, the city looked like a ghost of itself where lavish casinos and hotels had been taken over by weeds, the vibrant colors had become eye sores, and local shops looked as if unimaginable bacteria and such claimed it as home. As we made our way into the city I finally made the connection that this was more than buildinga home; this was a time of self-evaluation and helping those around me.
The first morning on the construction site the group and I fiddled with our hammers and nails unsure of why a group of upper-class suburban kids, that had never touched power tools before, were out on a construction site. As the morning progressed, I dove into every task presented to me; I felt so at peace with the rhythm of the hammers all around me and the murmur of the radio in the background that I delved deeper in my work. Each day, as we awoke at the crack of dawn to inch closer to our final destination I was always renewed with an excitement to finish the goal in mind. Even though, at night I would come back to hotel room too exhausted to move I felt a sense of self-gratification knowing that my own hands were helping someone start at a new life.
By the end of the week, I finally had the opportunity to meet the family who would be receiving the home at its completion. The family embraced all of us with kind words and hearts, and I felt saddened even more by their situation. In our society we hold values with high regards, and in a person's darkest hours we are able to see their true character. Any strength that I've exuded during this week did not come close to what the family has shown, since the disaster in 2005. At Florida State, "Vires, Artes, Mores" are the words that are held with high-esteem, and this trip was where I proved to myself that the inner-strength and values that I uphold should be reflected in every aspect of my life. In my pursuit to help another I've realized a lot about myself and hopefully Florida State University will help foster my skills into an interest to help those around me.
torn down the streets, knocking the buildings...
The strength it took to compose myself in front of my classmates inspired reflection, and it was enough to remind me...
It would be good if you found a way to mention how this involved moral, physical, and intellectual strength. It would also be good if, for clarity, you mention in the first sentence the year and the name of the project you were involved with:
"Vires" is what I exemplified on the morning of [date], when I got off the bus in Biloxi, Mississippi as part of a group of students involved with the [name of project].
This is very impressive, it's great that you helped with that effort to rebuild.
