Why an Archaeologist?

For some time, becoming an archaeologist rests as one of my primary goals. I hope to accomplish this dream. As an undergraduate, I hope to accomplish an education by working hard, an experience through studying abroad, and establish friendships that last. I believe these goals in particular will help me take the next step into my life as an Archeologist, and as a person.
Through undergraduate work, I hope to gain the knowledge and education to intelligently make inferences and analytical steps. With this information gained, I will be able to make hypotheses and educated presumptions if faced with any mysteries while excavating dig sites or looking deeply at artifacts. With this education, I hope to accomplish a deep understanding of the classical world, and apply it to possible careers or other steps in my academic life. This may include research into the Ancient Greeks, the Romans, Latin, Italian, Greek, or other ancient cultures within the Mediterranean.
While majoring in Archaeology, I hope to accomplish the experience needed to succeed in an archeological occupation, and part of that experience will include studying abroad. With such hands-on experience, studying amidst different cultures gives the type of comprehension one could not simply read out of a textbook. It is one thing to read and learn from a book from the comfort of one’s home; it is quite another to be immersed in the culture itself and learn directly from its people. Moving directly into the place of study, although much more modern than in ancient times, gives a person the feel of what was, along with the feeling of what is, and that comparison can tell a person a lot about the culture.
Also, the creation of friendships and connections adds to the quality of one’s time at a university. I hope to shape many different friendships and make them last a lifetime. Meeting different people leads to different perspectives. These different viewpoints can open the mind to things never considered, and that quality in a friendship has value. Often, people say the friends they choose to surround themselves with define them; but I would rather have them be a compliment.
There are many things I wish to accomplish in the next phase in my life. While an undergraduate, the education, the experience of travel, and the establishment of friendships are three I will achieve to become an Archaeologist and an intellectual.