Personal Statement
By Abby阿布
I fought my first “fight” with my family and won the battle. The monthlong controversy, as to whether I should compromise with the prevailing notion and make a specialty of some hot study programmes such as finance, economics, management, laws, computer
engineering and the like, or I should follow the voice deep in my heart to choose what I am really interested in, was over, and I got my way.
My parents, like any other conscientious parents in China, had long been harboring an aspiration that I could one day become an outstanding elitist, occupying some kind of well-paid genteel position, being respected and even envied. So, when I told them that I intended to apply for the programme of Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, they were more than astounded.
I becoming a nutritionist, something no much better than a chef in their eyes because both prepare and serve food to people, was something they had never thought of and never dreamt of. I thought at first they might even regard it as a little bit ignoble and humble, though such words never slipped out of my parents’ lips. I knew a long hard way lying ahead of me if I wanted to win them over.
My grandparents, now retired, were both professors before their retirements. My mother is a prelector in Xi’an Jiaotong University and my father a researcher in Xi’an Institute of
Electrics, and now they both have successfully set up their own companies---my mother’s is a 90-staff software company and my father’s a smaller one concentrating on electrical
furnaces. As a result, they had wished that I could specialize in computer engineering or finance or management, so that I could take over their companies in the future if I want.
Therefore, my decision stunned my whole family not only because I wanted to do
something totally irrelevant but that thing sort of novel and unacceptable to them. Thus began the monthlong battle between my whole family and I.
I have to admit that I was not so persistent at first, because I could not resist the
temptation of a promising and brilliant future my parents limned so long as I took on those promising and brilliant programmes. A manager in some famous companies or some not-so-famous but good enough companies, or a somewhat prestigious financier, or a respected specialist in economics, or a top executive in my parents’ small companies, if I would work hard and tried my best, were not at all beyond my reach in not so far a future, my parents reasoned. Yes, I was tempted to that promising future. Who would not? Those were exactly the dreaming lives most Chinese people yearned.
“Just think about what your life will be like if you insist on taking the programme of
Bachelor of Science in Nutrition.” My parents continued to argue, “It is quite difficult for students with doctor degrees to enter first-class hospitals, let alone those who without. So you will most likely end up working in some restaurants or some kind of refectories, making food and serving people together with those chefs, or providing advices and
preparing food for some really rich men as their private nutritionist, for most of the ordinary people in China nowadays couldn’t afford a private nutritionist and won’t consider taking one even if they could. Think of it. Is it the kind of life you really want? Is it the kind of job you want to do for all your life? Think it over before you rush into any imprudent
decisions.”
I did think it over and over again and for some time, I thought I was on the verge of shifting my ground, for the voice deep inside my heart, obscure and weak at first, almost faded away when confronting with such cogent reasons. I told myself: “Well, maybe I should follow my parents’ advice. After all, they are much older and much more experienced with life than I do.”
Then, with great exaltation, I began to imagine my splendid future. I saw myself in a modestly yet exquisitely cut suit, working in dapper and brightly-lit offices in a splendid skyscraper with golden afternoon sunshine shining brilliantly through those French
windows, talking courteously and formally with people wearing similar well-cut suits and speaking in similar courteous and formal ways; I found myself, after each hard-working day, sitting in some elegant cafés, tasting exquisite food and talking politely to
good-mannered waiters. Vow, everything seemed so perfect, yet, wait a minute,
everything seemed so perfect but for one thing. Something…something was missing. What was it? What else was in want of?
Then came the voice from the deepest part of my heart: “Happiness. You want happiness, yet you couldn’t find it in any perfect life unless you are interested in it.” What was I
interested in then? Well, I am not an ambitious girl who will try everything she can to make a fame of her own. I am sort of quiet, patient, sentient and amiable. I value life itself and genuine emotions the most. That does not mean that I’d rather lead a mediocre life and that I do not want to work hard and to succeed. My concept and connotation of success maybe are different from those prevalent ones. Lots of money and a genteel life do not represent the exact success I want. To me, success means that I could make the best of myself, that I could influence positively as many people as possible with my knowledge and ability, that I could make people healthier and happier, that I could give people
genuine emotions and friendship and, at the same time, enjoy the genuine emotions and friendship people and my friends give back to me.
I love serving people. I do not think that is something ignoble or humble. Quite on the contrary, I think that is the noblest thing in the world, for what else could be nobler than improving people’s lives and making them healthier and happier? In fact, I’d rather serving people just in the way they like than intriguing against my fellow workers for exchange of a promotion for myself.
And I love researching into and preparing food. Believe it or not, ever since I was still a little girl, I was spellbound by cookery TV programs, and for a very long time, my dream was to become a cook someday! My childish dream faded somehow later because of the heavy course load of Chinese children, but whenever I see a fruit or a vegetable, I cannot help but want to find out what kinds of nutrients are in it and how to make a full use of all the nutrients.
And I am quite confident that I have the ability to do well in Nutrition. The Third Grade Award I have got in the National Chemistry Contest indicates my ability in related fields.
After all these contemplations, my mind has been made up finally and my family won over.
The University of Hong Kong is a prestigious institution of higher education and Hong Kong is my dream land. I long to study in such a distinguished university in such a
beautiful city of Hong Kong and working pretty hard on something I am really interested in.
I will appreciate your giving me the opportunity to become one of you. You will not regret your decision for, I am sure, I won’t let you down. Today I take pride in the University of Hong Kong and, I believe, some years later, the University of Hong Kong will take pride in me too.
And best regards to you all.