College Essay: If You Could Meet Anyone, Who Would It Be And Why - Pol

College Essay: If You Could Meet Anyone, Who Would It Be and Why - Polonius of
Hamlet


    Polonius, father of Laertes, in William Shakespear"s Hamlet, strikes me as
someone exceptional.   In the first act, he gives advice to his son who is
departing on a journey.   Polonius"s advice guides me in almost every aspect of
my life.   I would like to talk with Polonius to gain more insight on life.

  Along with other advice, Polonius delivers one of te most famous quotes from
Hamlet: "To thine own self be true." Polonius"s quote helps me make tough
decisions.   Such an occasion arises when I have weighed the advantages and
disadvantages of a choice, and they are equal.   When faced with this situation,
I ask myself, "would I be true to myself if I..."   For example, I am temperate,
and do not participate in certain activities harful to me such as drinking or
doing drugs.   Occasionally, others try to influence me to drink.   Sometimes, I
am tempeted; however, I know that I would not be true to myself if I submitted.
I realize drinking is not somthing I want, nor is it in my best interest.

    Being true to myself involves acting in accordance with my values.   Imust
conduct myself like a gentleman and use proper etiquette for te given situation.
Thus, the quote acts as a reminder for me to act properly.   The next few lines
are "and it must follow as the day the night, / thou canst not then be false to
any man."   By acting like a gentleman, I can assure muself that I will not harm
nor create conlict with many people.   For example, I remain calm in situations
that most people would become upset and swear.   Then, I am in a better position
to deal with the would-be conflict.

    Next, Polonius covers many aspects of life.   He tells us how to choose and
treat friends, as well as rules for listning and speaking.   We are told not to
lend or borrow items becase "for loan oft loses both itself and friend," meaning
one will end up losing a friend as well as what he lent "Be thou...