History BA Personal Statement Example

I am drawn to History due to my love for stories. I love the way history is told: as a narrative that explains culture, society, and politics today in a way that facts and figures cannot. Because of this, library and museum visits were regular activities for my family. Visiting the WWII Museum in New Orleans was a particularly memorable experience as it sparked my interest in WWII history, prompting me to read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.

Frank’s renowned diary was an insightful read, featuring the impacts of Nazi occupation upon the Jewish community. More importantly, this diary was a series of stories—stories of an ordinary Jewish girl stripped of her right to live in the place she called home due to extremist racial policies by a radical dictator. It enlightened me to a different approach towards history—one that examined individual stories instead of general facts, one that delved into the social impacts of past events and how that changes the way we view global issues like race and religion today.

Apart from WWII history, Chinese and East Asian history has also been of remarkable interest to me. Jin Yong’s tales were especially intriguing as he adapted Chinese dynasty history into fiction. I particularly enjoyed Legend of the Condor Heroes, which told the story of a young hero named Guo Jing and his journey to recovering the war manual The Book of Wumu written by Song dynasty general Yue Fei. This story spoke of brotherhood, nationalism, and the wuxia spirit, which embodied a strong sense of responsibility towards society, punishing evil and promoting good, and helping those in need. Through tales of fiction, Jin Yong reveals the interdisciplinary nature of history—the ability of historical events to influence culture and literature. Although the history of my cultural background fascinates me, the multifaceted applications of historical analysis play an even greater role in my determination to study History at university level.

During the IB programme, I began to develop a deeper appreciation for the social aspects of the course, mainly, the study of the feminist movement. Hence, together with my passion for East Asian history, this inspired me to pursue a History Extended Essay which researched the extent to which urban women during the Nanjing Decade saw a transformation of roles in terms of women's liberties. Research on women during the Nanjing decade opened my mind to the different perspectives employed by historians like Louise Edwards and Philip Huang. While Huang argued that women enjoyed an increase in liberties through the law, Edwards argues the opposite, saying that in practice, the Guomindang law did not change the role of women during the Nanjing decade. This is precisely why I find history exciting: it studies the corroboration of sources and the comparison of perspectives that result in a wide range of interpretations of a single historical event. I believe that conflicting schools of thought will motivate me to challenge my own ideas and opinions, allowing me to form new theories that reflect open-mindedness and analytical thinking.

The extracurricular activities I pursued helped to expand my understanding of the importance of history and the relevant skills involved; while being an active participant in Model United Nations enabled me to recognise the role of history in the formulation of stances, tutoring at non-profit organisations fueled by my passion for teaching has shaped the way I simplify concepts for my students, history-related or otherwise. My leadership role in my school’s Photographic Society has demonstrated my sense of involvement in school activities and ability in organisation and stewardship.

I look forward to furthering my studies in History at university so that I can better understand the stories involved in shaping society, hence applying this knowledge to do my part in blessing a greater community of people.