Special thanks to YEFF for helping me out with all the info/links.Anyway, I'm submitting all my apps in 2 days and was wondering if any of you miraculous folk could help me out with a little feedback
This is the very first draft so there will be some grammatical errors. I'm more concerned with the flow, subject, and relevance, pertinent to the adcoms. (And I know I have to work on the ending some....)Thanks so much!Personal Statement
My family has always been an exciting bunch. Exhilarating, and individually unique, we still share many common traits. One characteristic that my family, more so my siblings, certainly share is finding our craft late in life. My brother struggled to find his passion during the first years of college. He took several years off contemplating what to do with his life only later to attend law school and become a practicing attorney in New York. My sister had a similar experience in her studies until she was in her late twenties when she became a nurse. In my early twenties I found that I was in the same boat that my siblings were in, that is, until I left home to attend Florida State University.
When I first arrived in Tallahassee I was alone, friendless, and jobless. I was out of my element. It was a time in my life where I was maturing into a young man and started to act like one. Was I scared? Absolutely! I was going to pay for college, rent, food, and utilities, all of it, on my own. At the age of twenty two I did not want to burden my family with my wants and needs. They had their dreams too. Nonetheless, the responsibilities of “real world” life came fast. My first task was obtaining residency in the state of Florida. I had to obtain a job, file a declaration of domicile, and register to vote, amongst a myriad of other things. This was significant because for the first time in my life I was leading myself. I no longer had someone to push me to get it done, besides my own sense of urgency. I learned the value of leading a pro-active life, rather than a reactive one. I was about to enroll at Florida State, in my twenties, and trying to discover what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. (I know this paragraph needs some work)
During my undergrad at FSU I made it a point to take classes that dealt with conflict or injustice, especially dealing with minorities. I have always been fascinated by the difference in demographic norms. I was interested in how our society perceives themselves, and more importantly the function of our legislative system. I wanted to know why certain laws were created. I wanted to know why there was a Woman’s Suffrage Movement, a Civil Rights Act, and what laws influenced gender roles in our society. The more I learned about these conflicts our society incorporates the more I was inspired to pursue a career in law. My undergrad inspired me to fight for those who did not have a fair shake in life. To get a better perspective on the aforementioned I wanted to experience them on the front line.
I began to volunteer at the Tallahassee Homeless Shelter. It was a humbling experience. My job was physically easy, however, the mental assessment that I took from my short time there was invaluable. The time spent at the homeless shelter gave me an insight into the lives of the less fortunate. I got to see how certain laws affect certain demographics of society. If you were in a park dressed in ragged clothes, you were loitering; meanwhile, if you had a nice sweater on you were enjoying the park. Moreover, the people that worked alongside me were often court ordered. The stories, and caveats, of their actions only furthered my keenness to pursue a career in law. One example is from a young black man named Carl. Carl came from a single home and was involved in drugs. He got arrested for distribution of a controlled substance. The first day I worked with him I could sense that deep down he was a good person who was on the wrong path. Carl complained about the difficulty in obtaining a legal job, even when he had a clean record, so he resorted to selling drugs. Unfortunately, I have seen some of my previous employers disregard a person’s application based on race. I felt for the young man. I knew what he did was wrong, but I felt he was a good person who deserved a second chance. I wanted to help him. I remember wishing I had the resources and the knowledge to counsel him on his rights. I thought perhaps I could have done a better job than his public defender. I never found out if Carl turned his life around, but I do know stories like his helped me erase any doubts I had about pursuing a career in law.
My journey through undergrad has certainly had tumultuous moments, but the life lessons I learned are priceless. I learned to be composed in the face of adversity, the importance to get a strong start in my endeavors, lead a balanced life, and to finish what I start. My siblings and I may have all started off slow, but we all finished strong. I look forward to continuing my strong finish in the field of law, helping others, and making a difference.
ps... ending is a work in progress!
