July 1993, Lexington, Kentucky. A woman gives birth to a beautiful baby girl with seven holes in her heart; thus began 19 years of visits to an esteemed cardiologist. Extremely worried, her parents inquired regarding their daughter’s future, alleviating their worries, the doctor’s advice to them was to be diligent and “treat her as you would a normal child. ” Knowing | have been different did not stop me from participating fully in life, especially during my childhood. In December 2012, we received the wonderful news that the final hole had closed.
The odds were in my favor since I have been lucky to have never needed surgery, nor required hospital care from a critical injury. I believe that there is a reason I exist on this earth; and my blueprint for life includes excelling in my career and discovering opportunities to contribute back. When I began my college experience in 2010, I stood unsure of a direction for my life. I have always enjoyed mysteries and the reasons behind them; therefore, I chose a Psychology major and Criminal Justice minor.
However, I thoroughly enjoyed my English classes; from Composition to Literature; I felt a passion which I had never felt before. Participating in an Honors English Literature class became something I relished. We analyzed a novel, developed a power point presentation, lecture, activities, and taught the material in a class. This experience and my semester as a Cognitive Psychology teaching assistant reminded me how much I appreciated the process of teaching. After graduation, I needed time to contemplate, as I had no idea what I wished to pursue in life.
I would turn to my books for comfort, escaping into their pages. I even started a novel of my own, which | remain writing. Striving to please every person in my life, listened to what they thought I should achieve whether it be joining a large company and working there for the rest of my life or pursuing the psychology route. Thankfully, after a few months of deliberation, I had an epiphany: Why not continue my education in a field I’m truly passionate about? Thus, I began my search for a graduate school to conquer a master’s degree in English.
I examined several, however, the University of Sheffield stood the one whose site I continually returned to, and as | researched further, I fell in love. This course of study stood out to me for countless reasons. Since I inherited my love of books from my mother, I grew up surrounded by their covers and blanketed by their pages, and couldn’t imagine a life without reading. The provenance of my name is due to my mother’s love for her favorite author. English Literature has always been my favorite subject, thanks to growing up watching BBC shows similar to Masterpiece Classic.
I feel that England has been calling my name since I first learned it existed! My ancestors on both the maternal and paternal side trace back to the United Kingdom. While researching graduate schools, the University of Sheffield seems to be the best fit for me. I immensely believe that I would feel right at home; from the professors to the academics to the clubs to the state-of-the-art facilities, not to mention the wonderful British people and culture, it has everything I could ask for. The School of English has various pathways, and the one that stood out the greatest to me was the Nineteenth Century Studies MA Programme.
A respectable majority of my favorite authors is from the nineteenth century. While reading information on the subject of this program, I was ecstatic in relation to the possibility of taking a work placement module considering that hands-on experience ensues an excellent learning tool. I also love that the University has regular guest speakers on the subject. Coming in contact with people who are just as passionate as you are is fantastic. I would be vastly interested in becoming a developing PhD student, thus I will have the ability to work on innovative topics and expand my nowledge. The further I read about this pathway, the louder it calls my name. My mind thirsts for the knowledge that will be provided at the University of Sheffield’s School of English.
My ultimate academic and career goal is to achieve my Ph. D. and teach in college. I was incredibly thrilled to read that I could have my course tailored to prepare me for a Ph. D. I feel destined for this path; while working as a teaching assistant, a student handed me a letter addressed to “Professor Gass. The exhilaration that flowed through my veins stays something that I cannot even begin to explain. I felt my professors were the furthermost influential people I knew, and I went to them for wisdom and guidance. Listening to their stories and lectures, soaking in every bit of knowledge I could, it is something that cannot be duplicated. Desire burns deep to deliver that same experience to future students and let them be aware that I have confidence in them and will be there to support them in triumphing their goals.
