WHY PENN STATE UNIVERSITY?
After a long and strenuous search to find the perfect 4-year university, I committed to Penn State University! Living in the Pocono Mountains, I was looking for a college not too far from home! Entering into the college search process, I was not 100% sure what field I wanted to go into and Penn State offered over 160 majors, so it was a great fit! A large campus, tons of extracurricular activities, and a massive alumni network were all major attractions! WE ARE!
ASPIRATIONS
At Penn State, I will explore many of my interests by joining clubs and activities that will best suit my passions. On campus, I will participate in Rince Na Leon (Irish dance organization), Sailing Club, and Circle K (volunteer organization)
Over the course of the next two to five years, I have many goals I hope to achieve at Penn State! Each semester, I hope to maintain at least a 3.8 grade point average! I will be also applying to the Schreyer Honors College this year through the Gateway program. Additionally, I hope to study abroad in Ireland during my junior year and eventually enter into graduate school! Within these major steps, there are many other goals I will keep in mind, like maintaining my health and ensuring I spend enough time with my family and friends!
ETHICS
As I enter college, I find dependability on a core set of values to serve a crucial function in the navigation of an unfamiliar environment. We often seek out differences among one another, so knowing that many others share the same view as I do, helps me to make sense of the differing perspectives. Many similar notions regarding topics like equality and fairness are not only slowly becoming a part of the culture, but common sense for many. The forward movement of heightened ethical standards correlates with the natural order of society.
WHAT KIND OF PERSON AM I?
- Academic integrity (don't cheat/plagiarize)
- Always be true to myself
- Stand up for what is right (even if nobody else does)
- Treat people with kindness
- Tell the truth, even when it's the difficult choice
- Obey the law (underage drinking is illegal)
- Always support your friends and family
- Be the kind of person you would trust
WHERE DO MY ETHICS COME FROM?
~Family - environment - decision making~
WHAT DOES QUESTIONING MEAN?
It is no secret—we are constantly in search of answers. From the time we wake up to the time we go to bed, our days are centered around answers. In my mind, the importance of answers has been shifted to its predecessor: the question. But not just any question, a beautiful question.
What If is about imagining and How is about doing, the initial Why stage has to do with seeing and understanding" -Warren Berger
Questioning is what led me to Penn State University- questioning where I wanted to be, why I wanted to be there, and how my college decision would affect me in the long run. In a basic sense, asking questions also functions as the catalyst for progression in school. Without asking questions in the past, I would not be here today. So, I guess the more important question now is: Where will questioning take me in the future?
FAILURE
The proper perspective in combination with an appropriate form of failure is often more advantageous than not. I have learned how to view failure looking forward, how rare positive failure is, and how the differing types of failure produce different results.
In college, I can apply many take away to my everyday life, including recognizing a positive failure when it occurs and then turning the failure into success within a safe, classroom environment. From here on out, failure will be more than just a mistake, but will be an opportunity to apply my new-found knowledge of turning failure into success
EXAMPLES OF FAILURE ---> POSITIVE OUTCOME
- In 7th grade, I was in the height of competitive Irish dance when I broke my foot. I had stop attending dance class and competing for nearly 6 months, but that time allowed me to focus on school work and excel within the classroom- to the point where I was placed in all advanced and honors classes! This "failure" indirectly set me on a higher track of academic success!
- Throughout the fall of my senior year of high school, I played the second highest position on the girls tennis team. Going into the tournament that would determine positions, I was aiming to win the highest position, although I didn't. In the end, I was grateful for my assigned position because only the second highest spot could play singles, doubles, and team districts. The important part was being able to play tennis and the position I achieved let me play the most tennis of all positions!
MAKING A DECISION
"ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS"
It's great to encompass a core set of beliefs- but it is only the first step... I must LIVE what I believe. But how?
- Academic Integrity: Finish homework and study ahead of time- no need to plagiarize or cheat!
- Be True To Yourself: If ever put in an uncomfortable situation, stand my ground and make position clear!
- Obey The Law: Be conscious of surroundings at all times and understand all rules and regulations!
COMMITMENT: To be fully invested and "behave as I believe", it is crucial to recognize the commitment. The dedication to my beliefs may appear unusual in a college community (example: underage drinking). It may sound like confrontation (example: standing up for what is right). It may feel tiring. All of these examples maintain a negative connotation, but they are all positive aspects. Holding true to my beliefs will be difficult at times, but these feelings will only remind me of my commitment to my values.
I will display my intentions through small, everyday actions. If someone does or something I don't agree with, I will not simply keep to myself- I will make my stance clear and known!
- At a party, if I see underage drinking, I will not ignore it. I will alert the people of the dangers and consequences of their actions and try to persuade them to stop.
- In my dorm, if I see students sharing homework or taking credit for other's work, I will notify them of the rules that regulate such activity and provide alternative ways the students can get help to finish their work.
"BEHAVE AS YOU BELIEVE"
It's no secret that behaving according to your beliefs is not always easy. For example, going to a party in college is often accompanied with many peer pressures to drink underage. When all of my friend's are joining in and consistently ask you to follow suit, it can be very tempting to give in and ignore my set values. Although, these are my values for a reason- I picked them! Therefore, when it comes time to make your decision, I should remember the deep, internal values I feel, display, and live everyday!
Credits:
Created with images by valiunic - "fall autumn red season woods nature leaves" • Patrick Hendry - "Patrick Hendry - Textured Red" • Robzor - "psu lion mountain lion" • Aaron Burden - "untitled image" • Jonah Pettrich - "Autumn vibes" • Brigitte Tohm - "untitled image" • lumix2004 - "orchard apple apples fruit green nature tree" • skeeze - "pumpkin pie autumn holiday baked delicious seasonal" • Bronwyn - "untitled image" • Chris Lawton - "untitled image" • Sabrina_Ripke_Fotografie - "pumpkin vegetables autumn" • congerdesign - "wine red wine glass drink alcohol benefit"