A thing of beauty is a joy forever– Popovici Ioana
Pablo Picasso once said: “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Were I to slightly alter his words to epitomise my current ethos and endeavours, it would be something along the lines of “I am always doing that which I fear the most, in order that I may fear it no more.” Although this personal motto might at first glance conjure up a bold image of someone jumping off a cliff or other death-defying situations, for the time being I am sticking to more…psychological battles so to speak, but which are by no means less likely to root one to the floor. From visiting the dentist to speaking in public, from taking the CAE exam to….applying to a renowned British university? Well, the last one is definitely a step that deserves thorough consideration. First of all, it goes without saying that leaving one’s hearth and home is no mean feat. Even the prospect of starting anew in a foreign country and meeting the requirements of a prestigious educational institution like yours makes me apprehensive to say the least. However, notwithstanding the allegiance to my home land, I am aware of the fact that the learning and career opportunities that it offers are not on a par with those from other countries such as the United Kingdom. But there is more to my wish of studying in Britain than just practical reasons, that is, the mysterious charm in which its territory has been shrouded since time immemorial, abounding with cultural heritage and enthralling history. And how could I forget to mention the charming accent? So it would not be too far-fetched to say that I’m on tenterhooks to discover what unseen facets the land of Austen, Keats and Conan Doyle is hiding. Secondly, I would like to put forward some information about myself. I am Ioana, eighteen and blooming like the fields of May, as the song goes. Or, better say, I am Ioana and I write. I have hitherto continuously strained my intellectual resources to catch even a fleeting glimpse of what I am really good at and what path am I to pursue to find my purpose in the great flowing stream of life. But to no avail. All I knew was that I wanted to use my creativity and my capacity of amassing new information as well as helping others in the process. Little did I know that the answer had been in front of me all this time, ever since I had put pen on paper. Maybe people will not benefit from my work in a practical manner, but I would at least have a slight chance that, through the words bestowed on them, I would feed their imagination and breathe new life in their existence, enabling them to come a step closer to reaching their zenith, spiritually and culturally speaking. Because, as John Keats poetically emphasises, “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: /Its loveliness increases; it will never /Pass into nothingness”. For the aforementioned reasons, it comes as no surprise that I relish the prospect of studying Creative Writing within your university. This seems the most suitable course of action, considering that I regard writing poetry as being part and parcel of my day-to-day life and it has also brought me notable results at national and international contests. Apart from exploring the depths of this particular literary genre, I would also like to gain insight into prose and drama writing, in as far as to produce such types of creations myself in the foreseeable future. I understand that your institution offers exactly what I am looking for and it would be a privilege foe me to attend its courses. Last but not least, I am aware that talent is just the starting point, that, as a diamond, it needs to be polished to reach perfection. And that is fine with me, as I am used to hard work and spare no effort when it comes to something that I am passionate about. This entails involving my unstinting and unflagging energy in what I have to do, forgoing other activities without having second thoughts. Although I may sometimes come across as pedantic, it is solely because I put my soul into whatever I am doing at the moment and want everything to work out in the end. But I am not all about work; I can enjoy a good time as any other would; it’s just that work is work and play is play. By way of conclusion, I trust that a prospective cooperation between me and your institution would prove beneficial to both of the parties involved and I can only hope that I will soon take pride in calling myself a student at your university.
Acest eseu este castigatorul premiului I ca urmare a participarii la concursul “Study Abroad: I CAN!” organizat in parteneriat cu site-ul studentie.ro. Tema concursului: “Imagine you are applying to a prestigious British University. Write a 600- 800 word personal statement that would make you stand out of thousands of other students!” Premiul a constat in participarea gratuita la Main Course– trainingul general de un week-end din cadrul Destination UK (in valoare de 300 RON). Congratulations, you CAN study abroad!
