Personal Statement: Habitat For Humanity

I am familiar with service. For me, service has only extended to my peers and my community; however, I hope to serve the nation and all nations in the future.

I equate service with helpfulness—assisting others. I help both my school community by answering questions and giving feedback and my community as a whole through my volunteer activities, the most enjoyable of which has been Habitat for Humanity.

If asked, many classmates would consider my defining characteristic intelligence. I would disagree; I consider my defining characteristic helpfulness. For students and teachers alike, I am almost always able to criticize constructively. More specifically for fellow students, I answer questions regarding code, calculus, or (English) conventions.

To receive multiple “Geoffrey, help please!” messages in an evening is not uncommon; one night in particular stands out. The night before an assignment for my computer science class was due, approximately a quarter of the class asked me for help. I forwent some sleep and did my best to help each of my classmates, and I was able to aid all of them, primarily through hints and pseudocode (a program’s “what,” but not “how”). I enjoy knowing that I have bettered the understanding of the people with whom I work, and, perhaps, incited interest in a field of study as well.

My helpfulness extends beyond my classmates, to my community through Boy Scouts, the Lawrence Hall of Science, and Habitat for Humanity. Despite only having started the past summer, I have been significantly influenced working with Habitat for Humanity. Pounding nails, mounting drywall, and cutting trim alongside prospective homeowners (who must contribute time to the construction of their own homes), I see the dedication that people have toward bettering lives. Working through pain is no uncommon occurrence; as a minor example, an Americorps member ignored an accidental staple to his finger—he simply pulled it out and continued working. Other times, I notice people taking shorter lunch breaks to complete their daily goals. The dedication of each person there (including myself) to the ultimate goal of completed construction brings me pride and joy. I know that I can improve the life of someone less fortunate. I help a fellow human by making a place to live, a house—home even—that that person may never have had before.

I have already touched the lives of many through my service. As a potential Princeton student, why not improve more?