Through the passions I discover in life, I contemplate as to what I can do with them. Coming to college fulfills this specific destiny. Each of us, as students, have our own unique dreams to be successful on our own. Covey states, that “an effective goal” “identifies where you want to be, and in the process, helps you determine where you are” [1]. We all may believe we have a vision of where we want to be in the future, but whatever happens we will end up where we are supposed to be. Douglas Adams once said, “I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be” [2]. Each of us begin college under excess amounts of pressure to decide exactly what we are going to pursue and to exceed the standards that we and our parents set for ourselves. Through this journey we call college, we strive to the best of our ability to prove we are capable of a professional and suitable career path. Before I arose to this point in my life, I, as a student, decided that I wanted to go somewhere in life with this vision I saw. My vision to pursue business and arise as a leader is what has driven me to come to the University of Texas and challenge myself to fulfill this passion of mine. 

[3]: Photograph of Red McCombs School of Business. It is here that I will receive the education to puruse my future in business and follow the compassion I have to work with and help others.
Through my experience here at the University of Texas, I have discovered more than just the career I desire. I have become exposed to every aspect that can be a part of my future. Our future can involve so much more than just our career. We can choose to make an impact by expanding to do more than what only benefits ourselves.
This thought correlates to what I love most about coming to the University of Texas in Austin. I know that here I am not only learning the basics of my career path. Here, I am not only taught how to do my job correctly and sufficiently. I am taught how I can take control of my career and do something far more greater, something that can make a difference in society, something greater than myself.
Taking unselfish actions has for long been a part of my life. Especially, throughout high school I always asked myself why I involve myself to the point where I feel like I am not living a life of my own. In essence, it has become clear that that is how I want to live my life. I find joy and compassion through helping and connecting with others. Every organization I have joined has been for the better cause. Every organization has dealt with volunteering in every form, mentoring children, and changing the lives of others.

[4]: This is my Peer Assistance and Leadership Group. Together all twenty nine of us accomplished over three thousand hours of community service this past year.
Through these experiences is how I came to the conclusion that I wanted to do something with my life where I could interact with other people. Choosing business was a calling for me. I desire a career where I can make the lives of other people easier and make a difference outside of the business. I desire a career that will not take up every spare moment, so that I can do more for the community and not only work to benefit myself. As Gandhi stated, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” [5].

[6]: This is one my favorite quotes, which was said by Mohandas Gandhi.

What I mean by this is I do not only feel like a better person when I do serve others, I discover more of who I am. This is why I look up to individuals who take the time out of their busy lifestyle to do something for others.
People who have careers and families that take up every moment they have and they still go the distance to get involved. My mother works longer than twelve hours a day. On top of raising me and running a business, she would always find the time to give back. She is involved with numerous community foundations that I cannot even keep track of. Even though she had too much on her plate to handle, she always found the time. My mother’s compassion to help others I believe is what allowed me to discover this part of me I had never noticed. Yes, I want to have a successful career, but if I am not reaching out to others through this career and outside of it, I will not be fulfilling my passion. If I do not connect and make a difference in the lives of other people I am not achieving my sense of self.

[7]: This past summer I volunteered with twelve other students of the same age to do two hundred hours of service for a summer camp. Through this experience I felt as if I grew as an individual. I also discovered more of who I am.
When I first came to the University of Texas in Austin I involved myself in international organizations that would expand my knowledge of leadership and service. Becoming a part of the Chi Omega sorority has shown me that there are numerous individuals like me, who want to make a difference and through that grow as a leader. Our sorority supports the Make A Wish Foundation. 

[8]: The Logo for the Make A Wish Foundation
We hold events throughout the year to raise money for our philanthropy. Our main event of the year, the Make A Wish Extravaganza was held October 24th. It was a success, for altogether we raised around fifty eight thousand dollars for the foundation. Besides giving to the Make A Wish Foundation we were able to change the life of a young girl. Her wish was to go to the Bahamas with her family. At the extravaganza we presented her with her wish. Moments such as this have done more than touched my heart. For the rest of my life, I want to involve myself to make things happen. Circle K International is another volunteer based organization I have become involved in.

[9]: The logo for Circle K International

As a group we do everything from making blankets to give to the hospitals to assisting at school functions. Everything I do through this organization makes me feel like I have prospered into someone far more greater than myself. Lastly, I have also become involved with the Women in Business Association. What I enjoy most about this specific organization is it teaches us to find and pursue a business career where we are able to connect with others. We also do community service and embody that into giving back to the community with and outside of our career.
Along with the organizations I am involved in, I will also gain relevant knowledge through courses I am and will be taking. What I find fascinating about U.T. and Leadership is that we are not simply touching on a specific subject that is irrelevant to our daily life. Transcending into this class, all of us became aware of how to manage our time and how to connect the leadership qualities we possess into real life scenarios. By writing and connecting these ideas, I have discovered more about what I really want in life. At first I believed that writing about myself would get me nowhere. I was oblivious to find that through this procedure I have been able to identify more than my goals I set out for myself. This class is vital for pushing myslef as a leader. We get multiple opportunities to reflect upon ourselves and explore diversity and creativity. My professional communication skills class is improving my communication skills which are a must in the business world. Through this I can identify how to inform and persuade. With economics, I am learning the basis of how firms and businesses operate. Though, it may not seem like this relates to connecting with others, it will allow me to achieve success in running a business effectively, so that I can assist others, making their lives easier. The only subject that I really get frustrated with is Math. I know that we have to take Calculus in the business field for the reason that its logics are used in the future, but I always find it irrelevant. However, courses such as this will enhance my critical thinking skills. Future classes I will take such as Anthropologie and Chemistry will contribute my passion for interaction among individuals. Courses of this type will also connect me to the components of human nature. It is of great importance for me to understand how to look through the eyes of someone else’s perspective. Along with learning about different cultures in the required history classes, I can expand my thoughts on other people’s perspectives. Part of connecting with others to help them, is to look deep into what they see. I have to be able to take in one’s point of view to gain insight on how to relate and connect with them.

[10]: When we connect and relate to one another, we make the world a better place. Helping one another passes on this never-ending chain and influences society to do the same.

Ultimately, what I hope to gain from my education is to be able to connect with people and be able to communicate to better their lives. My pursuit is to not only help certain people. Making a difference in the community and knowing I altered someone else’s life is something I deeply cherish. I desire for my lifes work to not be simply based on pursuing a field of business, but taking that ability to do something for the greater good. My compassion to connect and help others is one that I want to share in a positive manner. Although, my future is still blurry and unclear I plan to puruse my education and continue volunteerting to make a difference and give back to the community. Knowing that I changed the lives of others exceeds my compassion to connect and help others who truly need someone to reach out to them.

Word Count (without captions and quotations): 1,539
Word Count (with captions and quotations): 1,762
Citations:
[1]: Stephen R. Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. (London: Simon & Schuster, 1994), 137.
[2]: Douglas Adams. http://thinkexist.com/quotation/i_seldom_end_up_where_i_wanted_to_go-but_almost/177990.html
[3]: http://z.about.com/d/collegeapps/1/0/m/1/-/-/UTAustin_business_Zereshk_Wiki.jpg
[4]: Personal photo of the author
[5]: Mahatma Gandhi. http://thinkexist.com/quotation/the_best_way_to_find_yourself_is_to_lose_yourself/148517.html
[6]: http://www.milton.edu/students/images/cs_logo2.jpg
[7]: Personal photo of the author
[8]: http://slayathon.org/images/MAWF%20Primary%20WhtRGBback_TIF.gif
[9]: http://www.pitt.edu/~upgsga/senateinfo/images/CircleK.jpg
[10]: http://www.rtpi.org.uk/download/118/world-connect-people-community-international.jpg