Personal Statement

Name
Professor’s Name
Date
Personal Statement
When I first moved to the U.S., I was living alone in a hotel, eating fish sandwiches every day, and in a constant state of discomfort and trepidation. Since I was in a foreign country where the native language still caused confusion, I was constantly immersed in anxiety. Every morning I awoke to the unknown, fearing that some incident would occur and I would be unable to communicate with other people and embarrassment would ensue. Several times I wanted to cut out and just go back home. Doing so would have been easy, no doubt, but I also knew that what lay before me was the greatest educational opportunity of my life. Fortunately, every single thing fell into place because; despite my fears, I knew that I had relocated to America for a purpose which I had to fulfill. I thought about the sacrifices that my family had made just to make it possible for me to land here and continue my education. My first days, weeks and months in the U.S. made me realize that my family was one of my greatest motivations.
After completing my bachelor’s degree in HR Management at the University of Colorado in Denver, I now know that the emotional turmoil I endured during my first months in this country was worth it. It taught me the lesson that everyone faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their lives, perhaps multiple times. Whatever the obstacle, I learned; it is not nearly as important as how you choose to react to it. I realized that being emotionally intelligent was necessary in my life if I had to succeed in my future endeavors.

Assuming I ever got into a fight here in the U.S., despite the extent of anger and frustration, emotional intelligence dictates that I should be the bigger person and handle it accordingly. I do not know how well I could have handled such emotions if I stayed in Saudi Arabia and remained complacent. Fulfilling “The American Dream” is more sensible when you are in America. I am glad that I managed to get over the nostalgic thoughts that constantly ‘attacked’ me during the times when I felt estranged and lost. Yes, I was scared, but I persisted and took that crucial first step toward success. Now I am married, I have my own business, and I am applying for a doctoral program. I have learned persistence and clarity in the face of adversity.
My new “ideology” will be very useful in my home country, Saudi Arabia. For example, in 2010, a flash flood nearly wiped out my entire neighborhood. The preventative measures taken against floods not only did not work, they actually made things worse! Getting angry at a time like this would be the easy and natural response; however, it would also be ineffective. Having the will to triumph in times like these is what I would further develop as a graduate student so that I could return home and apply my new knowledge to bridge the gap between the developed and the developing worlds. Furthermore, I am more patriotic than most of the Saudi Arabians who back home and here in the U.S., and the molding I have received will be a way of improving my country, Saudi Arabia, through social and economic development. Even my friends just wanted to stay in America and work deplorable jobs instead of helping their people. The fact remains that I am a Saudi Arabian who has the ‘duty’ of assisting fellow Saudi Arabians. Again, I am a staunch believer of Karma-as it is delineated in the Buddhist ideologies- and I would not rejoice in future castigation merely because I ‘misused’ my opportunities.
My aspirations are to earn a doctoral program in HR Management. As I consider the enormity of this challenge, I quiver in much the same way I did when I came here barely able to speak the language. But I am not the same person anymore. When I think about all of the good things I can accomplish with an advanced degree, I steel myself against the negative thoughts, knowing that every day people across the world succumb to their own darkness, effectively convincing themselves to quit. I will never quit, ever. There is too much at stake for me, my family, and my country. Earning a Ph.D. degree in HR Management will allow me to help bring professionalism at its highest level to any organization(s) in which I am involved. It is the beginning of the next phase of my life, and I am thrilled at the prospect of making it a reality. I am very grateful for the opportunity to become a part of your university.