My Passion for English Literature

I distinctly remember a day ten years ago, when I got into a fight with my sister and instead of being grounded, my mother decided to take away my books – I couldn’t have imagined a worse punishment. For most of my childhood, I was the kid that preferred sitting on a tree reading over jumping rope. When I was reading, it felt part of the story; the outside world disappeared and it was just me and the heroes of the book. But it was not until I took English Literature during my International Baccalaureate that I became truly passionate about the art of reading. We studied “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald; I was captivated by the imagery the choice of wording created, by the characters that were crafted so beautifully that I started feeling love for some and deep hatred for others. What I especially admire are strong characters and controversial subtext, as it can be found in works by George Orwell or Henrik Ibsen.

Furthermore, my passion for literature inspired me to write for a local newspaper, as well as a local children’s magazine. Even though I enjoy writing, studying the works of others is where my true fascination lies. During my studies at an International School I shared a classroom with students from all over the world, which is what sparked my interest in Anthropology. Unfortunately, my school didn’t offer Anthropology as a subject, however when I started studying Psychology at the University of Aberdeen in 2016, I decided to elect Anthropology as an additional course. I started to realize that in fact I enjoyed my additional courses more than my major, which is why I decided to leave university and take the time to choose the right career path for me. During this time, I visited thirteen countries on three continents by myself, just equipped with a backpack. Not only did this experience help me grow as a human being, but it taught me invaluable lessons, including the importance of being organised, how to live on a budget, and moreover, it helped me improve my time management. Most importantly though, it made me realise that what I want to do with my life is something that has always played a large role in my life: my interests in both literature and different cultures.

Especially my interest in Anthropology was deepened during my time abroad, as I met people from a variety of cultural backgrounds with differing customs and societal norms. What I found particularly intriguing was how diverse culture can be, even within a country. For instance, the Indonesian island of Bali is widely dominated by Hinduism, whilst the neighbouring island of Lombok is almost exclusively Muslim. It made me wonder how two places this close to each other, geographically and socially speaking, come to have such different beliefs.

After my return home to Germany, I worked full-time at the Legoland Deutschland, where I was responsible for customer consultations and the sell of entry tickets. Not only has this job taught me perseverance, but it also strengthened my ability to work independently and under pressure. In my spare time I enjoy taking yoga classes, and depending on the season, I like to go both snowboarding and surfing. My time at the University of Aberdeen in 2016 is something I am very grateful for and I believe that the subjects of English and Anthropology will allow me to thrive and reach my full potential, and pursue my passion at this incredible university.