Pop Culture Personal Statement

Popular culture is an interesting subject to study. Some people love pop culture and make it their lifelong love. Some people reject pop culture and remain as detached as possible. Many instead embrace certain pop culture icons and media, yet avoid other areas. I identify with that mixed group of pop culture aficionados that love certain parts of pop culture, while avoiding a small section like a plague. Overall, Pop culture has provided me with many life experiences that have helped me become the man that I am.

I was lucky enough to grow up with a love for the arts, bestowed upon me by my parents and grandparents. My mother and grandmother encouraged me in vocal performance, while exposing me to some of the best musicals in film from my mother’s

My brother saved up and bought a Nintendo Entertainment System when I was about four years old. Early on I was exposed to classic games like Super Mario Brothers, The Legend of Zelda, Kung Fu, and Mega Man. I most identified with The Legend of Zelda, as I had similar fantasies growing up that the creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, had running around as a child, exploring the world, and imagining fighting various monsters. This desire for adventure, seeking treasure and magical items, and fighting to save the world, led me to Role-Playing Games or RPGs for short. RPGs have long been my favorite genre, due in part to many complex and rich stories, as well as some of the best soundtracks I have ever listened to. The Final Fantasy series holds a special place in my heart not just for the stories which change in every numbered iteration, aside from direct sequels, but particularly with the music. Nobuo Uematsu has been the longtime composer for the games, combining classic orchestral musical scores, with some classic rock influences. One of the very first songs I can recall listening to is, “Liberi Fatali”, which is the prominent theme from Final Fantasy VIII. Part of the reason the song struck such a strong chord with me, is due to the fact that I was deeply involved in Choir during my Junior and Senior High years. Some of my favorite pieces to perform were in foreign languages. What I loved about them

When asked about why he likes and dislikes popular culture, Renkin said, “It makes me think like, “Dang, why do I like popular culture?” It distracts me, I want to stay grounded, I want to stay connected. It can provide escapes from reality from your current situation, loss of a loved one, just about anything, really.” I have found this to be true in my own life. Enjoying a certain outlet of popular culture can help distress from life, and I find myself doing that quite often. It even distracted me from completing this body of work, and I had to fight to remove myself from sources of culture to focus. This is not to say that all popular culture is terrible. Many pieces of popular culture have either had a direct positive impact on my taste in music, or even in providing an environment to build friendships and relationships. Pop culture has provided me with many life experiences that have helped me become the man that I