<p>Tell me if it feels like a ramble. But honestly, what better way to describe myself than rambling? I mean, there's a lot to say!</p>
<p>My name is Peter Melillo, and I am truly a unique individual. My personal Weltanschauung is different from other people, due mostly to an innate sagacity, years of molding through hardship, and an intrepid sense of self-worth and purpose. I have a wide range of defining characteristics and interests that make me distinct.
Let us begin with the adversities I have faced throughout my short life, the struggles that really define who I am today. No one can look at my life, academic performance or otherwise, without first acknowledging my battle with anxiety disorders. The earliest issue I had to learn to deal with was obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This affliction, now infamous due to a handful of reality television shows and celebrity diagnoses, caused much grief in my young life. It was followed by the onset of social anxiety disorder when I was around 11, which made it difficult for me to function in a school environment. I plodded on, however, obstinate and determined to find a cure for my ailments. The pathologies, OCD especially, did negatively interfere with my grades. I had much trouble studying for exams due to compulsive urges which consumed egregious amounts of time. They also made it difficult for me to participate in personal studies, things of interest to me, such as learning the Latin language (I still plan on doing that). All of this frustrated me greatly, because I knew how much academic and intellectual potential I had and I felt as if OCD was robbing me of it. Well, I managed to get back on track and improve everything, and even began to participate in extracurricular activities which my social anxiety had previously prohibited me from doing. Anxiety is still an issue for me, but it is being addressed and I have learned how to effectively rail against it. As difficult as it is, I have finally set my priorities straight.
One of the things that carried me through these years was confidence in me. I knew that I would find a way, somehow, and eventually I did. Faith in God (which I admit did falter at times) was also helpful.
As for my interests, I am absolutely enamored by and in love with history. Particular eras that pique my enthusiasm are the classical era (especially the Roman Empire period), the colonial era (in its entirety, from the sixteenth century on), the Victorian Age, and New Imperialism (the Scramble for Africa, when my ancestral home land Italy finally became involved in modern colonial politics). I find I am especially fascinated by the colonial era; something about the dynamic shifts of power all over the world due to European interference, the fact that tiny nations such as Portugal and the Netherlands could become so powerful and influential due to overseas holdings, and the interaction of formerly isolated cultures just gets me going. I am also greatly interested in linguistics and foreign languages. I find I prefer the Germanic languages to the Romance languages, but appreciate Latin very much. As far as non-Indo-European languages, Arabic, especially the beauty and fluency of its calligraphy, appeals to me. I enjoy politics as well, but more as they relate to history than contemporary affairs.
Something else that enthralls me is music. I have been singing for years, and plan to continue to do so in college (acting is also something Id like to pick up, in the musical theatre sense). The timbre of my voice would indicate I am a baritone, but I have a very wide vocal range. Typically it is around three octaves, and I can sing any traditional male part (bass 2, bass 1, tenor 2, tenor 1). I find anything beyond the tenor passagio difficult to sing in full voice, but am currently working on it with my vocal teacher. Recently I have even begun to write my own music as a way of coming to terms with past experiences and dealing with troubles I face in the present.
I hope this essay has served its purpose well; to introduce you to me and show you how I am different from others.</p>
