Help with physics REU statement of interest

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Help with physics REU statement of interest!

I've been working on this for several days and it just comes off as so blah and uninspired to me. I'm a bad writer and I haven't written an essay in 7 months so I'm having trouble wording things the way I'd like. Please critique what I have so far. The ending is unfinished. Let me know what your first impression is and how I could improve.

I am currently a math and physics major in my junior year at XXX. After I graduate, I plan on pursuing a Ph. D degree in physics and hope to become a professional physicist.
I initially wanted to pursue a career in mathematics and intended only to minor in physics however a modern physics course in college led me to a change of heart. I found the quantum mechanical description of nature both fascinating and confusing. I could not believe that matter had wave properties or that physics was probabilistic rather than deterministic. I developed a strong desire to learn more about the nature of quantum mechanics.
I have since taken many undergraduate physics courses at XXX. These courses have strengthened my ability to solve textbook problems and have given me a basic understanding of the fundamentals of physics. However, I’m aware that as difficult as it is to come up with new ideas, it is equally challenging to design experiments to prove them. This REU program will allow me to experience the development of physics through experiment. In addition, it will give me the opportunity to participate in experiments, analyze data and draw conclusions. I hope that I can contribute to your project through hard work and good analytical skills.

 

[physics girl phd]

Also, in such a statement, perhaps look into some of the research being done at each institution you're applying to, and make a few comments about which groups' research interests you (and why, perhaps looking into whether any groups do quantum-mechanics related work (either experimental or of a theoretical nature -- sometimes this can be in atomic/,molecular/optical physics or condensed matter). Most groups post websites, and including some of this will make you look more informed (tailoring the application for each institution), and help the director of the REU program match you better with a group when you get accepted.