Skylar Mullikin College Preparatory English College Application Essay October 11, 2016
When I Grow Up
Maya Angelou once said, “No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his resent place.” As children grow up, they aspire to become the type of person others hold in high regard; the type of person others look up to. In preschool, we had dreams of becoming superheroes, professional athletes, the president, princesses, or (if you’re like me) an astronaut. In middle school, we had dreams of becoming rockstars, doctors, or lawyers. But as graduation draws near, we pause to consider the reality of putting those plans into motion. My personal fear is not knowing what I want to do, or what I want to become, and the vast possibilities overwhelm me. At the age of four, I wanted to be a professional ice skater, a runner, a doctor, and an interior designer. I figured I could work a different job each day of the week. I had no concept that one day I would have to choose just one profession. Depending on the day you asked me, I was absolutely sure of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I knew I wanted to be the type of person that made a positive difference, left my mark on the world, and helped people; I just didn’t know how. My freshman year, I decided to go with FBLA on a job shadowing event. I was able to pick the places I wanted to job shadow. I decided to go to the hospital and spend a day observing in the Physical Therapy Unit. As I worked with my mentor and her patient, I realized that I enjoyed what I was doing, and I felt like I was genuinely helping people. I started in the adult unit helping elderly patients and athletes with injuries and joint replacements. In the afternoon, I observed the pediatric patients where I got to work with children faced with visual, auditory, and cognitive disabilities. At the end of the day, I was taken to upstairs for a hands on experience where I met a patient, learned about his particular case, and came up with a hypothesis for how his condition should be treated. The whole experience was both exhilarating and humbling. Another profession I find interesting is counseling. My mother is a licensed therapist. Throughout my life, I have listened to her when she comes home and talks about interesting cases she encounters. She isn’t able to give me specifics of the cases, but I find the stories interesting. As senior year was approaching, I decided to enroll in psychology so I could learn more about how the mind works. I have enjoyed my college psychology class and I find it interesting, too. I share the things I am learning with my mom and she gives me real life examples that I can relate back to the day’s lesson. My goal is to pursue a career in either physical therapy or psychology. My goal of wanting to make a positive difference in the world has not changed. In order to fulfill that goal, I want to help others and to learn more about why people do the things they do. I would like to find a career that encompasses both physical activity and counseling.