Personal Statement

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been addicted to the idea of winning. Not just in video games,
but also in school, sports and others. If it was something that I was interested in or took pride in,
I would do my best to be number one. But in this addiction, I was bound to face some losses,
which I did. But my determination would always lift me back up to say “One more time”.

In Kendo, a Japanese sword-fighting martial art, there is a term called “Ki-ai”. It means to show
your spirit (by shouting) before you attack. When I first started practicing Kendo, I thought it
was ridiculous and that I couldn’t see myself doing it. But as I entered my first tournament, I
realised how much of a morale boost it gave to me. When I didn’t even get past the preliminaries
for my first few tournaments, I wasn’t saddened, but rather in the attitude of “I’m going to get
him next time”. That slowly built up until I finally earned first place for the first time.

This was exactly why I loved winning. You go on a journey of challenges and mistakes, but they
are the reason why winning feels so exhilarating. A victory does not mean anything to me if I did
nothing for it.

But I fear for my future self as it is getting more difficult to achieve excellence in everything.
You see, I’ve basically engraved the thought that in the future, most jobs will become automated.
Most people would be afraid of their dream career disappearing in the future, and yes, I am
slightly unease as well. But what I fear the most is the competition for the remaining jobs.
Everyday the standards get higher and there are so many people that aim for the top, so will there
even be a place for people with less education in the future? Will I be able to “win” when I get to
this point?

I don’t want to pick a career out of a decision I was forced to make in highschool because I was
unsure what to do. I don’t want to be overqualified but undereducated. It’s the same thing as
winning but without the hard work. And to be honest, I’m not even sure if school is preparing me
for this. Any scientist will tell you that no two brains are alike, so why does school teach
everyone the same way? If a doctor were to prescribe the same drugs to all their patients, the
results would be tragic.

Yes, I am pretty carefree and living my life as a highschooler to the fullest. But seeing myself in
the future is a frightening thought that keeps lingering in my mind.