Common App Personal Statement

Common App Personal Statement

I have lost track of how many times I have rejected this essay, and, although it can be discouraging to re-draft it so many times, I don’t give up. So, I open up a new document on my computer, clear my head, and start fresh. I close my eyes and let my mind wander, stepping back out onto a familiar, windy beach. As the sky greys, clouds bring in light showers, scattering vacationers seeking shelter inside. I let the rain fade into the back of my mind, focusing on repositioning myself on my board to catch the next wave. One starts to break on my left, and I paddle hard, shifting from my stomach to my feet as it pushes me forward. There is a moment of calm while I cruise over the surface before the crest of the wave overtakes me, and I lose balance. As my body is flung underwater, I crouch into a ball, feeling the leash tug on my foot as my board is thrown ahead of me. I am not frustrated after getting knocked down, but instead motivated by the exhilaration of the ride. Surfing allows me to decompress and unwind. I disconnect from the rest of the world, so immersed that I lose track of time. Out on the water, I give myself a break from balancing my schoolwork, responsibilities, and activities, finally able to relax in a calming and natural environment. Surfing takes patience and concentration, causing my mind to focus on something purely physical and fulfilling, and I am temporarily free from worry or external pressures. Surfing is vastly different from other aspects of my life. I love playing tennis, as the captain of my school’s varsity team and a year-round athlete who practices multiple times a week. Tennis as physical exercise works to relieve some stress, but during practices, I still struggle to free my mind from being preoccupied with my next commitment, distracted by unfinished homework, or concentrating on developing a strategy while overthinking a groundstroke. Surfing offers a contrasting experience: no opponent, no competition, and fewer consequences and distractions. While I am forced to stay inside the lines of a tennis court, surfing has no boundaries, allowing for freedom and exploration, as I take on new waves at my own pace. Surfing provides the opportunity to practice my own form of mindfulness, which I have been able to apply not only to tennis for a more fluid game, but also my schoolwork and abilities as a leader. Surfing also brings new perspectives of the world around me, growing my appreciation for the power of nature as I am forced to be present in the moment. Surrounded by the ocean, I become only a small piece of a much larger system making up our earth. When hiking and participating in other activities in nature, I am reminded of this same feeling, especially as I contribute to the broader cause of protecting the environment. I work to build a more sustainable future for the community overall by engaging in environmental-based service projects, leading a greener lifestyle, and developing opportunities for others to contribute and learn about the environment through a service-based club I co-founded. Surrounding myself with nature while surfing continues to inspire me. Not only does surfing tie me back to my passion for nature, but I also begin to see ways to connect sustainability with other passions like art, design, and science. I can envision myself possibly analyzing the patterns of storms to track natural disasters to better prepare communities for the effects of climate change or creating plans to develop buildings that exist in harmony with nature without emitting harmful gases or relying on nonrenewable resources. Refreshed and inspired by a day on the water, I am ready to catch the next wave, as I set off toward a new horizon, in surfing and in life.