Geography Personal Statement Example (Gap Year) 4

Geography is a discipline that both inspires and excites me, largely due to its dynamic nature. Climate change, overpopulation and increased risk to people from natural hazards means our world is changing more than ever before and by doing a geography degree, I seek to understand the changes our planet is going through. While this unchartered territory is interesting, it poses a threat to our existence as a species and through understanding the social, economic and environmental problems the future could hold, I hope to be able to devise solutions to mitigate future hazards caused by change.

As a member of the Bournemouth Natural Science Society, I have taken the opportunity to learn more about the Jurassic coast by participating in guided walks and lectures. Learning about the transformation of the coast from pre-historic to present times fascinates me, and I am keen to learn more about it at university in more detail. While completing my sixth form studies, my passion for geography was recognised when I was chosen as geography ambassador for the school. I was also selected to attend a geography course at Villiers Park, which developed skills such as peer collaboration and debating. This experience offered an insight into the nature of university lectures as well as into the research side of geography - my enjoyment of this only solidifying my choice to study geography at a higher level. A talk from the Scott Polar Research Institute regarding glacial melt and ice calving especially captivated me and led me to later read "A Farewell To Ice: A Report From the Arctic' by Peter Wadhams. This was highly thought provoking and highlighted how as well as the loss of the albedo effect, the release of methane from ice sheets could amplify global warming far more than CO2; something I had not considered before. The impacts of methane on climate change were also mentioned in a recent podcast by 'The Inquiry'; specifically the huge amount of methane released by the cattle and dairy industry. The connection between something as simple as our diet to something as complex as climate change fascinated me and the balance between food security and controlling emissions is something I am eager to learn more about at university.
My other A-Levels supplemented geography well; especially the biology modules about the carbon and water cycles, which gave me a greater depth of knowledge about the physical processes learned in geography. The statistics module was especially useful during my independent investigation, where I used Chi Square tests and Spearmans Rank to supplement my research. History A-Level developed my critical thinking and analytical skills, allowing me to adequately put forward my opinions.

Outside of my academic life, I have interests in travel and sports. I especially enjoy surfing and yoga. I was a member of the Combined Cadet Force and by year 13 was second in command. This improved my confidence and competence as a leader, as well as taught me practical skills such as map reading, sailing and survival. I chose to take two years out before starting university, to pursue my love of travel and to gain more life experience before settling down. I completed a six month ski season working in the French alps, an experience that taught me a lot about living independently and taking responsibility while pursuing my love of snow sports. While I am currently working full-time in a busy restaurant, in December I will be travelling to Australia and then South East Asia for 8 months. I hope to experience new cultures and meet new people, as well as learn how to budget my money and manage my time so I can see and experience as much as possible.

I believe my skills and achievements have given me valuable attributes which will be useful at university and I look forward to being challenged whilst pursuing my passion.