Throughout my academic life, I have ventured down many paths. I have explored a wide array of subjects and interests, and found those which I am passionate about. However, no matter where I have roamed intellectually, one thing has always been constant: my love of words, and my craving for expression. From a young age, I found the written word both intriguing and inescapable; I read to fill my time and wandered into the unknown worlds of my books, returning to reality often only for meals. As I grew older, all of the words that I collected in my mind began to pour out in the form of new ideas which I wrote down and cherished. As a high school student, I have come to realize that my words are precious, not only to myself but to others as well. I began sharing my work with the world through publications like Teen Ink, a magazine and website written entirely by teenagers. I entered my work into essay contests, and found success. My love of writing was nurtured in countless ways when I attended a two week writing program in New York City this past summer. It was during those two vital weeks that I became aware of my potential as a writer, and how it connected to my future.

In my college years, I hope to accomplish many things; however, I believe that my continued education would be a waste if I do not utilize my talent for writing to better the world. With this in mind I have decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics, a major that I feel is the perfect unity of my passions. During my time in high school I have extensively studied both German and Latin, and I have enjoyed learning both languages immensely. I have found that my ability to write is not limited to English; I am capable of expressing my unique ideas regardless of what language I am writing in. By studying Linguistics, I hope to hone my skills as a translator, as this is a career choice that I have often considered a good match for my abilities. A degree in Linguistics, however, would not limit me to one career pathway; this is perhaps why I am so drawn to this specific major. Through my studies in linguistics, I would acquire skills that could transfer into multiple vocations including law and psychology, two other careers that I have considered. I believe that I would be a skillful lawyer because of my excellent communication abilities and a successful psychologist due to my insightful nature. (I attribute the precision of my insight to the author within me.) An undergraduate degree in Linguistics would provide me with a multi-faceted foundation, one that I would have the flexibility to use in many potential careers.

Due to its relative obscurity, there are not many academic institutions which have the faculty to maintain a reputable course of Linguistics study; I have understood this from the moment I realized that Linguistics was the major I would like to pursue. Because of its unmatched Linguistics program and its overall academic excellence, Georgetown University is therefore the ideal institution for my undergraduate studies. I look forward to continuing my education at such an esteemed university, and I am confident that an educational foundation from Georgetown will pilot me to boundless places and opportunities, fulfilling my academic and intellectual goals as only a Hoya Saxa experience could.