Personal Statement: The Captone Program

Everyone is asked one question, at a very young age. That question is: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” There isn’t a time I can remember when an adult didn’t ask me this question. When I was six, I would respond with the usual movie star, fashion designer, or veterinarian. My answer would be said confidently, as at this age I walked through life as if it were no big deal. My answer occasionally changed to fit with my many childhood phases, but my view on the question stayed the same. When I was a child, I replied to this inquiry the same way everyone else did; I answered with an occupation. It took me years to discover my new approach to this question. My new response did not include my dream job, but how I saw myself in the future.
So, “I want to be a movie star when I grow up.” turned into “I want to be happy, no matter what my situation is.” Although I bow have a different perspective when it comes to this commonly asked question, my response has changed. “I want to be happy, no matter my situation.” has transformed into “I want to make a positive impact in society.” Making an impact could be as little as helping someone carry groceries, or it can be as big as finding a cure for cancer. Unlike my confident six year old self that I mentioned before, I am not fully sure of what steps I want to take to reach my goals.
Right now, I’m at the phase of finding out who I want to be. There is still no answer for my question. While undergoing this process, I feel as if some people want to influence my decision. People were telling me how to act, how to feel, what to say, and even who to be friends with. Although I’m still on the wild ride of finding myself, I do know that I want to shape myself. I do know that I do not want to feel as if I have to become someone I am not. The purpose of finding myself is to figure out who I am, not who someone else wants me to be. How can I fulfill my promise to the world if I do not feel like I am truly myself? If I let others affect my personality, my promise is no longer my promise, it is now their promise.
The Capstone Program will help me find out in what way I will make an impact on society.
It will guide me towards achieving my goal, but let me have independence while doing so. This program will help me find what I’m interested in, and I won’t feel as if I’m letting someone else down. I will also learn more about the world that is all around me, and become more aware of what is happening today. As a result, of becoming more aware, I will further understand how I want to make an impact. You cannot effectively change things for the better if you are not aware of the people and events that occur in your community. Capstone will hold my hand in the process of both fulfilling my promise and figuring out who I want to be. The Capstone Program will provide me freedom and independence to share my perspective and use my voice. When given freedom to share my thoughts, I will find out what my values are. My values are at the core of who I am, and could be the foundation of my plan to make an impact in my community and better the world. Values and impact go hand in hand, there isn’t a time in history where the impact differs from the beliefs of the person who is making the difference. This program is the missing piece of the unfinished puzzle that fulfilling my promise. In conclusion, Capstone would benefit me in more than one way, Firstly, it will help me focus on taking steps towards my goals Secondly, it will also make me have open eyes about everything around me. Thirdly, it will give guidance about who I should be. Last but definitely not least, I will finally have a clearer answer for all those adults that asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow
up?”