History Personal Statement Example 25

Living in the Georgian city of Bath, I have grown up surrounded by history. The timescales in evidence around me, from the ancient Roman Baths to the Georgian Royal Crescent, echo the timescales of some of my own historical interests.

I am fascinated by medieval and ancient history and have been fortunate enough to visit the Bayeux Tapestry and on a trip to Italy, the vast forum area in Rome and the ruins of Pompeii. However, my greatest interest lies in the events of the 20th century, namely the Second World War, arguably the shaper of modern Europe, which stems from my study of the Rise of Hitler at GCSE and books such as Band of Brothers and Pegasus Bridge by Stephen Ambrose, as well as the First World War, due to the involvement of my Great Great Grandfather and the study of war poetry during my English GCSE.

To further these interests I have visited the battlefields and cemeteries of the Somme as part of a school trip, which highlighted the true scale of destruction of life it caused, and have independently travelled to Pegasus Bridge and the Normandy landing beaches. This trip also enabled me to visit the grave of a relative in Bayeux, who died fighting on D-Day.

It is somewhat difficult to fully understand History without the involvement of Politics. Taking this subject at AS and A Level has complemented my historical studies, especially the topics of Italian and German Unification, namely the role of Bismarck, and the political activities of Garibaldi and Mazzini. Studying Psychology has provided an insight into the way we think, and why we make the decisions we do.

Applying these theories to the decisions of leaders throughout history has given an interesting idea of their thought processes. Finally, A Level History itself has been absorbing and enjoyable. With a wide range of topics such as the development of the modern democratic sytem in the United Kingdom, and the Bourbon Monarchy in France, I have been able to broaden my historical knowledge and understanding.

I am a keen rugby player and intend to continue playing whilst at university. Currently I play for my school's 1st XV, last season retaining the Under 18 Somerset Cup for the fifth year running. Outside school I play for a local team, and have previously represented Bath and North East Somerset at Under 14 and 15 levels. For relaxation, I am fond of badminton and play as often as possible. Musically, I am a self-taught bass guitar player and a member of two bands.

This has been a great opportunity to develop team working skills, as I have been responsible for planning and organising several successful local gigs on behalf of my bandmates, negotiating dates with local venues and sound crew and securing publicity.

For over a year I have held a part time job at a local supermarket. Working predominantly on checkouts, I have been in various positions of responsibility, such as customer service and the responsibility for large amounts of cash. It has also enabled me to hone my communication skills, and as with any job, perfect the art of punctuality.

Studying history at university would enable me to further develop the skills I have already acquired while studying at GCSE, AS and now A2 Level, as well as fostering the passion I already have for the subject. Skills such as factual analysis, developing balanced arguments and inferring information from sources are vital when studying History and would be a solid foundation for a potential career in journalism.