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2.2 Niche-picking
Growing up, I loved horses. When I finally took my first riding lesson at age 8, I was hooked. Once a week until college, I took riding lessons. I felt like I belonged at the barn and in the saddle. I had something to look forward to once a week and I loved every part of it. I joined the equestrian team at my high school. I even considered attending a school with equine studies because I still want to keep learning about them and have them in my life. -
1.1 Entering Adolescence
I picked this date because it was the day of my bat mitzvah. A bat mitzvah is a coming of age ritual where a young 13 years old Jewish person becomes accountable for their actions and has all of the rights and obligations as a Jewish adult. I felt this ritual was a bit ironic since, around the age of 13, it is prime time for puberty. I hit a growth spurt, noticed changes to my body, and started seeking more independence. My bat mitzvah did mark those changes entering adolescence. -
8.1 Rite of Passage
I experienced a rite of passage when I turned 13 and celebrated my bat mitzvah. A bat mitzvah is a coming-of-age ritual where a young 13 years old Jewish person becomes accountable for their actions and has all of the rights and obligations as a Jewish adult. It marked the transition from adolescence to adulthood. I studied for a year before my bat mitzvah preparing my speech in front of my family and friends. I learned all of the responsibilities of a Jewish woman through my studies. -
2.1 Late Maturer
I definitely hit a growth spurt in middle school. But other puberty changes such as gonadarche and menarche didn't happen until later during high school years. Most of my friends got their periods early in elementary school. I didn't get mine until freshman year in high school. After that, my breasts started developing, acne formed, hips changed and the mood swings. Because of that, I always felt like I was behind my peers and had a lot to catch up to. My 8th grade formal marked that transition. -
7.1 Transition to High School
I was one of the oldest, biggest, and most powerful students in eighth grade. That all changed when I entered high school and immediately dropped to the lowest position as the youngest, smallest, and least powerful. I experienced the top-dog phenomenon when students from the top position to the lowest position. I quietly settled in as a freshman because I enjoyed more class options and was more intellectually challenged by my academic work. I knew when I was a senior, I could haze the freshmen. -
7.3 Intrinsic Motivation
I was always internally motivated to achieve high standards in my work. I wanted a good grade but really just enjoyed doing the work for my classes. With self-determination, I could control myself whether I do homework or not. For the most part, my determination makes me do homework because I hate the feeling of not finishing them and feeling guilty if I didn't do them. I often get in the flow while doing homework when I become absorbed in a state of concentration. -
6.2 Stimulation
Two of my best friends growing up and I were all on the same Academic Bowl team. We stimulated each other with interesting information, excitement, and amusement during practices and during the long competition weekends throughout the high school years. We could share information regarding various subjects and compete against each other with the same intelligence. We also always had fun during practice and learned a lot about each other as well. -
6.3 Ego Support
My best friend in high school LOVED attention. She often expected support, encouragement, and positive feedback from me. She wanted to maintain her impression of a competent, attractive, and worthwhile young woman. I often gave her lots of compliments and encouragement making her feel good. Her ego was stroked a lot by me and other friends. My ego wasn't very supported by her and my other friends. -
3.3 Possible Selves
A few years ago, I wanted to become an OB/GYN doctor, own a horse farm, and have a family with four children. I wanted to be happy all the time and have a huge house with lots of money. I didn't want to be lonely or boring. But as I got older, I realized that those possible selves weren't very realistic. I didn't want to become a doctor nor have a big family with four children. Having a huge house wasn't my dream anymore. I won't be lonely if I have dogs with me, that will be good enough. -
3.2 Differentiation
I had two different sets of characteristics: one with my friends and one with my relatives. When I'm with my friends, I am talkative and adventurous, always want to be doing something with my friends. I could easily talk to any of my friends. When I'm with my relatives, I am the opposite. I am quiet and shy. I usually stick with my parents or sister because I feel more comfortable with someone I know. With my friends, I am able to talk to anyone. -
3.1 Imaginary Audience
I would spend hours in front of the mirror squeezing my angry zits. Whenever I walked into a room, I thought everyone was looking at me, especially my giant angry zit which was really minor. Imaginary audience is a belief that adolescents think all eyes are on them. I felt like every single pair of eyes were staring at my zit but in reality, no one cared. Formal operation contributed to these thoughts because I purely thought hypothetical situations that everyone was looking at my face. -
4.2 Non-gender Typed Behavior
Playing on the field hockey team for four years, it's safe to say that some of the girls are more physically aggressive than some boys. I've played against many teams where girls would be very physical during the games, becoming more physical than the boys at the football games I've seen. We would fight over who gets control of the ball. Boys are typically more physically aggressive than girls but sometimes girls are tough and aggressive as the boys. -
6.1 Parent Adolescent Conflict
I was stubbornly dragged along to my older sister's plays. My parents wanted me to come along and I did not want to go. I wanted to make my own decisions. I was unable to separate my own perceptions of others from what they actually thought in reality. I always questioned my parents about why I had to go. I didn't understand that my parents wanted me to go to support my sister and become involved with the family (pg 257). I couldn't separate from my egocentrism that they just wanted support. -
4.1 Gender-typed Behavior
Every morning during the second period, we would watch the morning announcements. There would always be a sports segment with one or two teenage boys, reporting the scores of last night games at our school. That is report talk, just giving information. Males often hold center stage through report talk with verbal performances as storytelling, joking, and lecturing with information. They reported information on our sports team and often make corny jokes. (Credit: rockvillerampage.com) -
7.2 Transition to College
Graduating high school was one of the best things that happened to me. I was ready to move on to the next part of my life, which was college. When I got to Gallaudet, I was able to explore more about myself and the world. The diversity of Deaf people on campus was astounding since I only met my few Deaf friends through camp or grew up together. I could meet as many people as I wanted to and make decisions without any parental supervision. High school felt so small compared to college. -
1.2 Emerging Adulthood
The day I moved to Gallaudet marked the transition from my adolescence to adulthood. I was finally independent and self-focused where I could explore and learn things on my own. I could explore my identity and learn more about myself--what I like and what I didn't like. This also marked instability in my life with friendships and education. I had to learn how to be my own person and make the best decision only for myself.
