How can I make my personal statement stand out?

As well as the typical answers to this: 'say what you love about the subject', 'make sure your personality comes across' etc, the main way in which I believe a personal statement stands out is by demonstrating your interest in your chosen subject out of the classroom. Although this is also to an extent 'typical' advice, for instance saying 'I joined a reading group outside of school' for a potential English Literature student will come across well, I mean this is a more unusual way.
I think it would be worth including a paragraph about, for example, the fact your Grandma always used to take you to the bookshops and that's how you began your collection and your interest in reading. It's worth mentioning a book that really stuck with you when you were younger the lessons from which you apply to this day. And if your chosen subject is science based, why not drop in an anecdote about the trip to the observatory that made you want to learn more about astronomy? Although these things can seem cheesy, they demonstrate your passion for the subject beyond any academic level but on a personal level, and I think that's why they stand out.