Apologize by One Republic, Personal Statement Example

“Now, let’s welcome our next performer, Yuxuan Yang.” Gripped by fear, I nonetheless stepped onto the stage to sing “Apologize” by One Republic.  In that moment, years of effort to find myself suddenly lifted me up.  I sang my first English words before a vast crowd of strangers, and I felt myself expanding to meet – and surpass – the challenge.  My new confidence beamed with each note, and through it all I could see the real pleasure in the eyes of the audience.  Those moments will live with me forever, for everything I had struggled through was rewarded by an epiphany.  Simply, it had all been more than worth it.

Singing is for me a metaphor for my life itself.  Long ago, my parents took me to Shanghai to see a band from Taiwan, and I sensed even then what singing would mean to me. When I entered my school’s singing competition at the age of 17, I was advised to give up this dream. You are not one of the advanced students, I was told; focus on your studies.  I was not, however, prepared to give up a single thing.  I resolved, in fact, to reveal to everyone how a true sense of purpose can surmount any obstacle.  My work was not impressive enough to justify putting effort into singing? I studied, then, until the neighborhood lights were turned off every night.  There was no reason to believe I should sing, to begin with? I practiced every day, learning how to shape and refine my voice.  By the semester’s end, all my grades were As and I took home the first prize in the competition.  Tell me what I may not do, I learned, and I respond with a will and a spirit to shine.

This force of singing as guiding me beyond adversity has been nothing less than an inspiration. In America as an international student, making friends did not come easily to me.  My English teacher then suggested I try out for the 2010 Homecoming Talent Show, and my life changed again. I had been unhappy and isolated; through putting hard work into my singing, the world opened up to me.  As before, perseverance and commitment took me exactly where I needed to go.  In my freshman year, I was able to stand out within the top ten out of 270 competitors.  It is never, however, only about the voice.  It is about how practice and dedication to this single effort translate into everything in my life, from relationships to doing well at my studies. It is about fighting for what I want and keeping up with what I love. It is also about encouraging people, as I convey my strength and joy into their hearts through my singing.  By attending the University of California, I am convinced I can evolve in a way that reflects my determination to succeed, and my desire to share with others what it all means to me, through my voice.