Personal Statement

“Okay I’m going to turn this off now or you won’t sleep,” said my mom ever so calmly. I
can’t remember who turned on the TV or what was even playing on it. I do remember that I was
around 8 years old though. Regardless of my age, I fully knew what was happening. I remember
that night every time I sit and let my mind wander for a little too long.
About 13 years ago, I lived in Mexico with my family. About 13 years ago, my father had
gotten up in the middle of the night to try and get us a better future. And that, he did, because I’m
here now. Sacrifices have been made through out my bloodline, and those sacrifices are what
brought me here today. If there is anything I value the most, its my family and their love. It takes
strength and determination to get up and leave the life you knew for something completely
unknown, something you don’t even know will pan out, but you are hopeful regardless. These
qualities have been passed down to me like the DNA in my blood. I tuck away every little detail
of every experience that I can. Good or bad, it is safely stored away in my head so that I will
never forget where I came from and how I came to be.
When I was 15, I took a liking to criminal cases after I read up on the Murder Castle by
H.H. Holmes for an AP History Class. I had free reign to choose a topic, and somehow landed on
a serial killer during the late 1800s. Instantly, I fell in love with knowledge and the thirst to learn
more. Why do people choose to do such horrible acts? Do they even realize what they are doing?
All sorts of questions that sometimes I got answers to and sometimes I didn’t. After high school,
I realized that this thirst I had for knowledge was enough for me to major in Criminal Justice and
minor in Psychology. Specifically, my goal is to one day be a Forensic Psychologist.
In five years, I’d like to see myself having my master’s degree or at least be near
completion. I’d like to have my own house, have a stable job with the Omaha Police Department
and working on my re-enlistment contract with the national guard. In 10 years, I hope to not only
be but feel successful. As human beings, we can’t help but be hard on ourselves and our
accomplishments; sometimes we don’t even realize it. I’m working on that right now, not being
so hard on myself, so I guess, that is another goal I have.
I don’t have one, single, reason on why I love this career path. One of the reasons is my
need for helping others in any way that I can. In this career there are plenty of jobs that can let
me do that besides my goal job. Another reason simply has to do with my curiosity on how
people work, not only on the outside but on the inside; not only physically but mentally. Simple
determination and curiosity will get me through my career and will keep me entertained doing
so. Being someone who chose to work as early as I could, I started when I was thirteen working
in the fields with my mom so that not only, I could keep her company, but to feel every bead of
sweat and dirt that she gave up for me, I would give up for her. Fast forward another year, I
turned 14 and started working at McDonald’s. Not a great job, but a job regardless. While it may
not seem like there is much tie from that line of work to what I aspire to work in, there kind of is.
I learned from a young age how to be patient with others and myself. I learned determination and
hard work during my 12hr shifts while in high school. I also learned time management and
organization while juggling two jobs and my studies. Most importantly, I learned how to keep
hope and positivity because without those, we are a simply a shell of who we could be.
Everyone has their own story; this just happens to be mine. I defied the odds against me. I
defied my insecurity, my fears, my doubt and decided to face everything head on as it came to
me. Through it all, I knew that no matter what I felt or did in my lifetime, I wanted to pay back
and thank my parents for everything they had been through for us, kids. I saw an opportunity and
I took it. At 17 years old, I enlisted to the National Guard. There, not only did I refine and tune
my skills that I already had, I learned how strong I was and could be. I, with no doubt, would
stop and help anyone in need without hesitation, and that is exactly what I want to be known for.
Not only in the workplace, but in my life in general. I want my fellow coworkers and friends to
know that I am a safe a place when they need it. I want to be known for my determination and
passion for my work and life.
Looking into the national guard, tuition assistance was a big factor that I took into
consideration, but there was something even bigger in my mind. My parents’ citizenship. I have
always been family oriented, and I would enlist repeatedly if it meant that I could provide this for
my parents. Luckily, I can. Never in a million years would 8-year-old me envision 20-year-old
me where I am today, but I do know that I made her proud, and I will keep doing so. The amount
of sheer will, and determination has gotten me this far and will keep carrying me on.