Write a Personal Statement.
Over the course of my time at Old Dominion University, I have had a lot of second thoughts about what I would like to do after getting my bachelor’s degree. I started out as a physics major because I fell in love with astronomy at Tidewater Community College. I planned to become an astrophysicist and transfer out of state to pursue a doctoral degree. While at ODU, I also planned to get a minor in computer science to aid me in the future. Unfortunately, at least right now, that is not the path for me. I could not hold my own in the coursework, so I decided to change majors.
Biology and chemistry were other fields I enjoyed in STEM and played into my interests, so I decided biology would be a better fit for me in the long run. There are many fields I could get into with a bachelor’s in biology that I am interested in doing, such as dermatology, creating makeup, pharmacology, and genetic testing. All of these come from different obstacles I’ve dealt with in my life. Of course, the creation of makeup is a more frivolous endeavor, being a makeup artist, but pairing that with dermatology would allow me to find new formulas in cosmetics and skincare, and possibly start my own line of products.
Pharmacology and genetic testing would also pair together as well as I’ve been fighting to find medications that work for me and I know others are equally tired of trial and error with medications. Dealing with chronic depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADHD, and chronic pain has been a large obstacle for me to overcome, especially in the last few years. I want to be able to not only help my own diagnostics and treatments but for others who can’t seem to find balance or relief. Being tested for which medications I can metabolize and which genes play a factor in pain tolerance has been a big help, but there’s still more information waiting to be found. I would genuinely love to help be a part of this type of research and development to make the tests more accurate and more accessible to people.
Even though these are some great fields to enter, I still don’t have a plan. Granted, these areas of interest would benefit me and my own struggle, but is that something I really want to do? Do I want to pursue a graduate’s degree, or do I want to stick with the degree I already have? What do I want to do with my life?
The answer is: I don’t know. I’ve never had a plan for my life; no dreams to chase, no goals to work towards. My teenage self screams through my subconscious to make a career in the music industry, whether it be production, management, music therapy, music journalism, or even an event photographer. I haven’t grown out of these fantasies of being lost in the world that shaped my life. With the threat Covid-19 places on the music industry, finding creative solutions to live events for musicians who rely on touring would be paramount.
What I want to do with my life, my career, and my education is still in the wind. I don’t find that it’s necessarily a bad thing, it just means I have many open doors in front of me. I can move up the chain and enter a graduate program or I can start a second degree. I can even take what I have and run with it until I make a decision. I can settle. Being an older student has taught me that timeframes aren’t important. They don’t define my success in school nor in life. I still have time to decide what I really want to do and not pressure myself into a career that won’t give me a sense of accomplishment or purpose. Whatever choice I make, I’ll have ODU to turn to.