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My Life Events
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Marriage
I learned a lot from my parents' marriage. I learned that every side has some truth and every story can be slanted. When I view my parents' marriage as an observer, I can pick up on both parents' mistakes and take them to heart with memory and promise myself to not let my children see the same things I've seen; it's made me more caring for children and for people in general. -
Noise
Whenver I was intensely concentrated or focused on something, I use to make a loud humming noise. Somebody told me to stop making it, and I never made it again. I began to be aware that there were other people around me and I became incredibly conscious about what others thought about me ever since then. -
What He Said
Someone at my school told me that nobody liked me. I cried and then realized that I would no longer go out of my way to act odd or strange around the people at my school. I decided that I would always do what would make me seem normal rather than ever trying to stand out again. -
Summer Camp
At this camp I first decided to try not to be difficult with my teachers and instructors. Instead of avoiding people my age and just trying to talk the adults, I would branch out and talk to people. I realized it wasn't as impossible as I thought to make friends. -
Katrina
My dad was born and raised in New Orleans and this event was simply a disaster for him as he saw some of the famous places of his childhood being erased. In my eyes, I gained a lot of respect for him going through this trouble. I understood just how disastrous disasters really could be, and I became a better sympathizer with people and could understand them more easily. -
Greece
It was my first time leaving the country and seeing a way of life that was far different from that here in the States. I decided that I liked traveling the world and appreciated other cultures. It's part of what has made me interested in other people's stories, languages, and way of life. -
Being Alone
Throughout this school year, I began to realize I was slowly isolating myself from everyone even if some people were trying to be friendly with me. My group of friends was generally looked down upon, and I somewhat abandoned them in place of trying to establish a more normal social position; in a lot of ways this has made me snobbish in my social interaction because I try to make myself seem popular. -
Maybe I'll Try
I went from thinking it was pointless to branching out to, when somebody told me the opposite of what I had expected (that there wasn't a single soul who didn't like me), deciding to try to make as many relationships as I could. I went from being reclusive, cynical, and isolated to being friendly, outgoing, sociable, and very conformist in general to try to find myself a space in the changing social ways at the beginning of high school later that year. -
Money Magazine
My hometown was rated in top 5 best towns to live in for the whole country. It made me realize that I was proud of my hometown, and that there were advantages to staying put for stability and having a family, despite my interior compulsion to travel like my sister has done in her life to get away from suburban living. -
Road Trips
I took three road trips on different summers and covered thousands of miles of roads and hundreds of little unknown towns with my father. It gave me the sense of freedom and a desire to discover and share the world with everyone. It has made it clear for me that I have the latent desire to fulfill my potential of spreading to others the same happiness that I felt those summers. -
Being In Choir
Throughout middle school and high school, being in choir had made me very interested in piano. As it turns out, I lucked out and discovered a natural aptitude for it; since then I have secretly desired to become a film composer....but don't tell that to anyone! -
9th Grade
For once I put my plan of integrating myself into the social system. I became somewhat vigorous, although not forceful, about making friends. I think this incident has left me with the permanent ability to make plans or draw upon willpower to accomplish something that I would've in any other situation. -
Facebook
It was the first time I seemed to do something in common with other people. I could finally understood what they were talking about; it was like learning all about what I had missed for the previous part of my life. I think, however, this reflects that I will always be subject to peer pressure when a positive reinforcement from peers is at the other end of the tunnel. -
Family Traits
- Family Closeness: my mother's side of the family are closer than any normal American family should ever be. We gossip, chatter, constantly bicker. But we stay together as well. I think I'll carry on the trait of being close to my family in an almost protective way my whole life.
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Egypt
Earlier this year, my sister went on a voyage to India, Russia, and England before settling in Egypt to learn Arabic. Ever since then, it has seemed as though she is pursuing her dream wherever it has taken her. It has inspired me to feel as though the world was open and accessible and has made me myself more driven by intuition and a desire to see my wishes fulfilled despite logic trying to weigh me down... Not sure if that's a good thing.... -
Greece Riots
Greece has always been considered my ethnic ancestry, as my mother is a Lebanese-born Greek. Greek culture is extremely prevalent in my everyday life. Seeing the riots, my mother herself admitted that Greeks (who I once admired simply because they were my cousins) had a lot of flaws and a lot to learn from nations like the United States. It made me proud of my country, a little skeptical of other cultures, and more hesitant to associate myself with Greek culture. -
Family Trait 3
- Respect: Often times my family can be as riddled with stereotypes and prejudices as anyone else. However, just as prejudiced we may be, the prejudices we have are very easily altered because we demonstrate far greater respect for other ways than we do hatred. We enjoy, love, and understand the ways of others. I have been brought up to be like this, and it is often why I fit in well into groups.
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Family Trait 2
- Humility: my parents have very profound talents doing the things they do, but they have never touted their abilities. If I ever come close to finding myself saying something arrogant, I stop myself. I try to be as humble as possible....always.