Personal statements. Oh how they make me squirm with disgust. I think I would much rather have needles shoved under my fingernails than to be writing a personal statement.
If you think about writing a personal statement for an application, what is it you are really doing? Are you actually making a statement that is about you, who you are and why you are? Psssh! Rubbish I dare say. It's a game. How to intricately weave words into a glamorous painting of an idea. An idea that will then be either found acceptable or unacceptable based on the mood the reader happens to be in that day. That is the game.
I hate playing this game.
A few weeks ago a moment of inspiration hit me, so I went with it. I ended up getting out three whole paragraphs before the moment moved on. I then packed up and drove to CT, and in those two hours of driving was able to convince myself every word of those three paragraphs was worthless. It was over a week before I could bring myself to attempt again.
I've since been able to finally get one finished. Which I immediately sent off for editing to friends that I know will take it up, chew it up and then vomit it back out laced with red ink. One such friend was a doctor that I've gotten to know here at the hospital who has served on his fair share of residency committees in the past. When we met to go over it, his first comment to me was, "Well.....it's kind of overly dramatic in a few areas."
"Me?!" she gasped. "Overly-dramatic? I never....," unable to finish, her hand went up to her forehead in a sudden faint. Thunk!! (Note to future-self-in-prose: if you faint, write in somebody to catch you!)
:)
Back to some semblance of seriousness. A personal statement is a perpetual work in progress. How to stay true and honest fulfilling the unspoken requirements of such a statement without losing yourself in what you think will grab the most ears and turn the most eyes.
It's never really finished, and yet deadlines force an end to all dramas eventually.
Hasta!
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