For as long as I can remember, it has been my desire to study history and eventually work in the field. From studying ancient Rome to Victorian-era Englishmen to the Ming Dynasty, I have had an intense fascination with the past. Mentally placing yourself in the era of study, imagining the world around you and all its customs and traditions. I love finding things that humanize these figures, rather than make them look like untouchable icons.

It is my dream to one day work in a museum, archive, or preservation project and be among the people who teach others about history. I truly think it would be a life fulfilled if I were to achieve this dream.

My particular areas of interest lie in the American Revolutionary Period, the history of immigration in the United States, and the British monarchy. All these are very interesting topics to me, and I could tell you too much about them.

It’s not as if I didn’t consider other areas of study; I did. Like many little kids, I dreamed of being a veterinarian. But there was a specific day in the third grade, learning history in class while sitting in the library, when I declared that I would major in history someday. Not because I thought it was glamorous, but because it was the first time I could not stop thinking about what I was learning. I was a good student, read a lot, all of that; but this was different. It was a wake-up call. I realized what I was meant for in that very moment. And now I am an adult and still have that very same love of the subject.

Ultimately, my goal is to preserve history. I found myself in history years ago, and I’ve learned not to live in it, but to let it live in me. I want to preserve it for others to see, and learn, and feel. Just as I will continue to see it and learn from it and feel it. History is never ending. There will always be more history made. More history that has been hidden to discover. I want to be there to appreciate it.

People have always asked me if I want to be a history teacher. My response is always no. Never. But I supposed in a way, the answer is yes. Not to teach in a school in front of a class and grade peoples work, but to teach in a museum in a way. To put those artifacts out with their little description plates, is to teach if the people are willing to learn. Those museum tour guides are teachers in a way.

In addition to working in museums and preservation, I am also interested in consulting for historically based film and television projects. Using my archival and research skills to create accurate, nuanced portrayls of the past. This would allow me to merge my love of history and my love of film, whilst keeping historical integrity. Master's in a major city would be an excellent step in this direction, having unique advantages to be able to combine my two passions.

All this is to say, my in depth goal is to appreciate and preserve history so that it is not lost by the very people who could stand to learn from it. It has always been true that history repeats itself, and maybe if enough people learn from it, the repetition won't be such a loop.