I was always better with books than with people, growing up. Even as an obstinate teenager I was more likely to be sticking my nose in a novel than I would be attending a party. But no man is an island, and eventually I decided to broaden my horizons and interact with people as best as I could --given my skillset at the time, I decided that meant I needed to find a way to inform people of the fascinating things that occupy our world. That is to say, one summer I became a tour guide at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. It was a daunting task for me at first, I fully admit that. I was unused to interacting with so many people at once for such a long period of time, and there were times I felt as though everything I was saying went in one ear and out the other, that no matter how much I tried to elucidate on the matters my tour covered people simply weren't getting it. Nevertheless, I stuck to it, to the point that by the end, not only did I serve enough hours there to gain the president's volunteer service award, I discovered that I truly did enjoy educating people. It was draining and tested my patience more than once, but looking back on the matter… I regard the experience itself fondly, though I wince at my younger self's demeanor. While much about me has changed over the years, three things have remained constant: I want to learn, I want to teach, and I want to help. Now, I am subscribed to several academic journals to stay up-to-date on the latest findings. Now, I have joined a lobbyist group and advocate for greener energy in Texas. Now, I volunteer to help victims of domestic abuse escape those situations. And now, I’m much better at interacting with people and being patient with them. My desires don’t lay in the spotlight however, and I have figured out what I want to do with my life beyond those three nebulous desires. Once I finish my degree, I want to do research that raises people’s quality of life, and more than that I want to share it with others. Becoming a college professor sounds like the most worthwhile job I can imagine: helping advance the world’s collective knowledge by doing research while still assisting young minds in achieving their own goals sounds like the exact vocation I have been searching for for so long.