My Personal Statement

As I mature into a woman preparing for college, I am becoming more aware of those people around me. Seeking advice and searching for words of wisdom, I find myself in awe of a man not related through blood, but one who has always been there for me in one way or another. He is my uncle, Pat Knobbe. Pat and my aunt Marcy were high school sweethearts and after 25 long years are still in love. In a society like the one we live in today, it is refreshing to be loved and cared for by two such remarkable people.

Pat was salutatorian of his graduating class in 1985. After graduating with scholarships and grants that paid for most of his education, he pursued his dream of becoming an architect. During his years of schooling he traveled across Europe studying the styles of architecture that he still implements into the custom homes he designs today. Pat and his cousin Steve co-own a custom home business called Advance Design and Construction.

Pat's dedication and strive for the utmost quality in any task is absolutely marveling. It would be fair to call him a "workaholic" and a "perfectionist" because of the ridiculously long hours he puts in at the office, and the amount of time and effort he gives to his most demanding clients outside of his scheduled work time. But through the hustle and bustle of his hectic work agenda I see his determination to provide a comfortable life for him and his wife. I know for him it gets tiring not having a moment to himself, but there has never been a task that I have known Pat not to finish. For me, a teenager still, it is easy to give up on one thing and move on to something new, but I have learned from Pat that that is the last thing to do if I want to be successful. Going into college I know I will be in challenging classes and situations that I cannot simply give up on and when I persevere through them I will always think of my uncle Pat.

Three years ago Pat and the rest of our family received a phone call from our family doctor informing us that Marcy had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, or bone cancer, in her right leg. As I described before, Pat is always on the go and rarely stops to take a rest, but when he received this phone call his life was literally turned upside down. Pat rushed home that day, canceling every appointment in his book. I watched as this man with a noble attitude, who once had all the answers, now looked to other people for help - like me. Even at the age of 13 I was able to recognize the pain he was in and even though he is an independent man, he still needed help. To me that said a lot about his character. He set aside his pride and realized that for once a situation was out of his control. The past three years have been extremely difficult for both Pat and Marcy. Fortunately Marcy is cancer free, but she has had a total of four surgeries on her knee and femur, and still suffers from aches and pains in her leg. Their struggles are not over, but to be in the place where they are now took courage and bravery that I will always look back on for guidance in each situation I am in.

When I began high school I would come home with stories about typical teenage "drama." One evening Pat, Marcy, and I were eating dinner and I was talking up a storm as usual when Pat stopped me mid-sentence. He said, "Don't forget, Justine that high school is only four years of your life," he paused using his forefinger and thumb to measure a very tiny distance emphasizing this miniscule amount of time, "you have your whole life ahead of you." His comment held no sarcasm or humor, only an underlying message that I now understand. He wanted me to take a step back from that day and look beyond the four years I would live to my life I envision now. I have been so grateful for his wise words because they have kept me focused and in line.

Pat does not have to do anything other than to be himself to make an impact on me. It is his outstanding work ethic, acclaimed character, and truly admirable outlook on life that distinguishes him in my eyes. Without a doubt I will use what he has taught me throughout my years as a college student and well into adulthood.

Thank you, Pat!

Below: Pat and I in San Francisco this summer

My Week On Campus

This week has been a long and exciting one!!! On Sunday we checked into Scott's Residence Hall and then headed to the Carol Joy Holland Camp in Ashland where we would meet our biggest challenge of this program yet.


Our group was divided into two smaller groups called "Achieve" and "Succeed". I was on team "Succeed". That day we were put into our harnesses and helmets, prepared for our adventures in the air. I was so scared. Why? I can't think of anything other than being afraid to try something new. I was angry with myself for being scared to challenge myself. So I pushed myself in a way I never thought I would. I volunteered to go first! I shot my hand in the air and headed 50 feet above the ground to where I'd meet one of my biggest fears: Falling - Failing. As soon as I took my first step onto the board in front of me I felt amazing. So powerful and brave. Then I heard my teammates yelling "You can do it Justine!" and "You're doing great!". The reinforcement was priceless and so helpful. I got through the whole course and went on to the rock wall twice. I felt invincible - like I could take on anything. I do have to say that my teammates contributed immensely to that feeling. Without them I would have just been scared.

Above: The Rockwall Below:Some of the high ropes course

Through out the week here we have done numerous activities, all with one common goal: Branching out. In the Mojo Hunt (scavenger hunt around the N. Campus) we were divided into small groups and had a chance to network with various offices and members of faculty on campus. Then, during Battle of the Scholars we were again divided into smaller groups, my group was called Bass Jam. We went around to four stations with various activities focusing on the importance of communication with all sorts of people. We also had a chance to go to the HPER building (workout center) and work out before that night's Ice Cream Social! Ha ha. All the activities were great and it was definitely a great way to get to know my peers better!

This week it's been hard to balance my play time with my work time. My philosophy class got very intense and I had an exam on Thursday! My classmates and I stayed up on Wednesday night and had a legitamate study group in the hallway! It was so fun because once again we got to bond and we also helped eachother with the questions we had. I am still waiting on that exam grade.... wish me luck. :)

Blog #1: My First Week as a College Student!

It's weird to think that I have already survived my first week of college and I haven't even graduated from my high school yet! This week has been full of so much. Meeting new people, trying new things, and going to new places.

I got off to a rocky start. On my first day I was so nervous, but even that wasn't an excuse to park in a metered parking stall all day. I walked out to my car, so relieved I had made it through my first day to see a yellow parking ticket stuck beneath my car's windshield wipers! I was so mad at myself for the dumb mistake, but I was sure to pay the ticket the next day.

The rest of my week was much better though. My class I'm enrolled in is Philosophy. It's so interesting but it's also just as challenging. I was happy to have gotten a teacher who isn't intimidating and is open to any questions me or my classmates might have. I learned quickly that keeping up with the reading and really paying attention in class is the key to understanding anything.

Something I have to say that I really enjoyed about my first week is the amount of freedom I have. Sometimes after class I'll stick around the campus and just read in the Student Center or finish my homework in the library. UNO's campus offers so many great study environments and it's easy to concentrate on what you're doing.

I think that the most challenging thing for me in this program will be managing my time correctly. Part of the whole "college experience" is having fun and meeting new people which is what I'm in the process of doing, but I know I'll have to work hard to enjoy anything else.

So far I have learned how independent I am. I enjoy putting myself into a new environment and learning the ropes all over again. Don't get me wrong - I was very nervous jumping into the situation, but once I was in I couldn't stop going. I can't wait to live in the dorms for all of next week and further my college experience!