My College Essay

Ariana Blackwood

A Hippie With a Purpose

My parents have instilled in me the colossal importance of knowing what I want to be when I grow up. It sounds typical; however, I learned later that they don’t want me to have the traditional “American Dream”: rich, successful, with the white picket fence. They never wanted me to be the one who was comfortable financially, but woke up every morning and got dressed for a boring day. My parents always prayed that I would have the best life that I could ever imagine.

Whenever my father and I would drive anywhere, we would always have the same conversation. We would talk about my goals, and they would always be the same. I want to be a marine biologist working on the water, going on research missions to exotic places like the Great Barrier Reef. I want to spend late nights working in a lab researching ways to further advance society while causing the least amount of harm to the ocean. I imagine working in South Africa and aiding in the effort to repopulate the Orca Whale species. I want to be the marine biologist who is known for her boundless knowledge and unique drive to rescue. I would tell this to my father, and we would think of all the fun I would have working from a boat and living in a shack on the beach. We would imagine every detail, down to the type of dog I would have, which would be an Airedale Terrier named Chico. I would talk about waking up in a foreign country to go take classes on the Mediterranean Sea.

I think of these things and can only smile. My connection and love for the ocean has grown like the roots of an oak tree as I have progressed as a student. These roots grow stronger with every experience I have. Now, I go out into the ocean and have the same spectacular adventure every time. I wade in the water with peace in my soul. The sound of the waves makes me feel safe, yet excited as I think of the vast unknown that is the deep blue. When I tell my sister about these feelings, she just laughs and calls me a hippie. However, I’m happy with the new title, so I started to live up to it. I signed up for a marine biology class along with a chemistry class. I got involved in beach clean-ups in and out of school. I made a personal goal of picking up five pieces of big trash every time I go to the beach, which I still do today. I even signed up for a Caribbean Studies class over the summer that took place in Vieques, San Juan, and Fajardo, Puerto Rico. I’ve never picked up so much trash or received as many bug bites as I did on that trip. Despite it all, it was a trip that was amazing beyond comparison. We toured the rainforest in El Yunque and learned about the treacherous neglect of the Vieques environment that occured when the U.S. Military used the beautiful island as a bombing ground. Those experiences drove me toward my future goals.

            I know that my dreams will not only bring me happiness, but also have a largely beneficial impact on the environment.  I strive to reach my goals by taking the right science classes and signing up for the correct extracurricular opportunities.  I worry every day and I pray that I can reach the goals I have for my future. Even though those goals feel higher than ten skyscrapers, I know that anything can be achieved with strong ambition. When I think of the career path that lies ahead of me, I get inspired and want to power through all the obstacles that stand in the way of my ambitions. I separate myself from the doubts of others and refuse to let anything stand in way of me being an esteemed marine biologist, with the heart of a lion and the soul of a hippie. As John Lennon once said, “you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”

Reaction Paper to "Earth Without People"

In the article, Earth Without People, Alan Weisman paints a picture of a post-human world by using imagery extensively. He not only uses examples of actual areas on Earth, but he also describes what the devolution of many species would look like and their effects on the rest of the environment. Weisman goes into detail when he describes the destruction of man-made structures by natural forces. He shares the exact types of natural forces that would disassemble each material used to hold together these man made structures. This work has very scientific viewpoints that are backed up by credible sources. Weisman does an amazing job making the reader see threw his eyes. He takes the readers imagination and paints it like his own canvas, making it easy to see his idea of an “earth without people” (Weisman, “Earth Without People”).

            Weisman uses many literary tactics to describe this theoretical earth. One of them is by relating it to an actual ecosystem. For example, Weisman uses the DMZ in Korea to display an example of an area that has been cut-off from human activity for a very long time. This portion of the article describes the farmland in the area that has been completely overrun by nature, and has been “transformed into pockets of marsh.” This portion describes the distinguished alterations that have occurred in the area over time. For example Weisman discusses “the new occupants of these lands [that] arrive as dazzling white squadrons of red-crowned cranes that glide over the bulrushes in perfect formation.” This kind of description of the cranes paints a beautiful picture in the reader’s mind. They are compelled to notice the commanding grace that these birds have.

            To further describe the repercussions that the loss of the human-race would have, Weisman outlines the devolution of many species. He describes the likely dismemberment of “all human attempts to improve on nature,” such as bred horses, altered vegetables, and many domesticated animals. To backup his points, Weisman utilizes the credible knowledge of a Harvard University biologist, Edward O. Wilson. In the article, Wilson states that “the plants, crops, and animal species man has wrought by his own hand would be wiped out in a century or two…the world would mostly look as it did before humanity came along—like a wilderness.” Weisman uses this quote to suggest a picture of what the Animalia Kingdom would look like after the extinction of humans. This use of imagery makes the reader realize how fragile and insignificant man’s attempts can be. It also shows how strong natural forces are.

            The insignificant deterioration of man-made things could be seen as a reoccurring subject in this article. One of these occurrences discusses the dismemberment of structures, meaning buildings. Weisman starts of this portion of the article, by discussing the break down of the Mayan pyramids in the northern Guatemalan jungle. He relates it to the possibilities of this happening to a major city. He creates visions of rusted away lightning rods, invading weeds, vast and stretching rivers, and even poison ivy plants clawing at walls.

            All in all, this detailed description of an earth liberated from human traces, uses intense imagery to teleport the reader into this scenario. In this article the reader is constantly placed in flourishing ecosystems that are filled with the grace of Earth’s natural order. Alan Weisman uses plenty of fact-based theories to really push the reader toward his thoughts and views. The article is a prime example of how imagery can make a very unlikely and far-fetched scenario seem like it is right in front of you, showing you what this Earth could be like, and how beautiful and powerful it would be.