Spinning travel into a PS Forum

[fearlessly]

Is there any way to spin travel into a compelling personal statement? I've gone backpacking in Europe every summer for the last several years by myself or with a friend... nothing especially challenging really happened that I can think to use for making a PS, but I still feel like it's something unique about me that an adcomm may find interesting. I don't want to give off the impression of wanderlust too much, though (I feel like that can be construed as being wishy-washy or unsettled/unsure). I know this is super broad and none of you have literally been in my shoes to know exactly what to write about, I just really love to travel and explore and encounter new and interesting people and cultures, and it's something that's always been really important to me. I would love to write my PS about it, though I haven't been able to think of a positive, interesting way to spin my experiences.

[joshhoward]

the goal is not to prove that you had interesting experience, but to show how your interesting experiences influenced your desire to become a lawyer and/or your ability to be a successful one.

[joshhoward]

ok what i mean is that you need to fully think through what the travelling has meant to you. its not about looking for a story to tell, but about defining "who" or "what" you are. if travelling has defined how you live, view, or act in life, then that's your statement. if not, then dunno.

[fearlessly]

^Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm struggling to figure out. I just can't find a way to spin traveling into influencing my capacity to be a good lawyer.

[eyfl]

This seems to be the hardest part. I'm in the midst of writing my PS as well and unfortunately I don't have major life-changing experiences. In fact I only have 2 stories in mind, one should be able to convey a message of me as a well-rounded individual with traits law schools look for but its a complete snooze-fest. The other is a traveling story.

Question to you: Have you done / seen anything while traveling that you can tie to the qualities law schools look in potential students? Like maybe you saw how wrong the laws are in some countries, or something else

[Gradvocates Editing]

^Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm struggling to figure out. I just can't find a way to spin traveling into influencing my capacity to be a good lawyer.

Then it seems as if you need to find a new idea. Don't force it. If you really want the law schools to see that you traveled, then you may be able to get away with putting this on your resume depending on resume/CV requirements for each school.