INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO YOUR CLASSMATES
Write your mini autobiography introducing yourself to your classmates.
Skip the details about your school and college career (courses, major, employment goals.)
Focus rather on your "intellectual" history: the books, films, hobbies and creative activities that helped you grow.
Avoid mentioning the "most important people" in your life. Keep the focus on yourself and your personal, individual, unique path, the choices you made that took you where you are.
(This may take more than the traditional 3 minutes of standard platitudes and laundry list of achievements. Actually, failures or dead-ends are more interesting than success stories.)
Feel free to reply to your classmates' comments.
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Here is a powerful example. This was the very first comment posted by a student in a previous semester: it set the tone for the entire class.
"Hello, my name is ________________. Most of my life has revolved around cancer. Although I am not a cancer “survivor” I have survived cancer. A couple of days after my sixth birthday my younger brother was diagnosed with leukemia. My life changed. At a very young age I had to learn to take care of myself. To escape the lonely feelings I started writing in a journal. Writing made me feel at peace. Music and dancing also lifted me. Performing during my recitals, parades and charity events was thrilling and liberating. As I was starting to feel in control of my life, here comes cancer again. This time attacking my mother and my aunt, which were diagnosed with breast cancer. Immediately, I had to learn how to manage my feelings of anger. As a freshman in high school, I decided to join the cheer team. Performing to express my anger worked. I moved up fast and became varsity captain. As Captain of the cheerleading team I was accountable not only for myself but also for my teammates. I improved my skills on how to be a leader, and take responsibility for my actions and words. Throughout my stages of development, I was unconsciously characterizing and identifying myself. In Piaget’s stages of cognitive development theory, children experience sensorimotor. That is when they are experiencing the world through senses and actions. That is who I was; I first observed and then determined to face my fears. I never said, “I can not do it,” I just did it even if it was a challenge I did not stop until I succeeded. Cancer was one of the many situations that helped me grow into the person I am today. Ironically someone approached me at my job a few days ago, and said “ I see the care you have for people in your eyes, not many have that.”
Hi everyone! My name is Mitsuka. I'm such a multifaceted individual so I always find it hard to describe myself in concrete terms. I feel as though, doing that limits who you can be at any point in time. However,if I could use a phrase to describe myself and my life, it would be the following: I am a natural creative who has had to, sometimes, suppress my creative abilities in order to adhere to the more pragmatic disciplines in life? What do I mean by that? Well, I've always loved to read, write,dance and sing. These 4 outlets have always been my escape in times where i feel emotionally vulnerable or even in times when My emotions overwhelm me.However, I come from a family where a lot of importance is placed on being skilled at math, science, etc. And so, I've always been forced to let my creative pursuits fall to the wayside. Here is what most people don't understand though. When my mother and sister were severely injured in the earthquake of 2010 that stuck Haiti, it was singing or writing songs about my emotions, which helped me get through it. My journals/diaries that I kept,starting from elementary school, were what helped me make sense of the drama that was high school and the phases that every teen and preteen go through. Dancing helped me express my happiness. And then there's reading, my ultimate escape. My first love, in a sense. I remember reading the "baby sitter's little sister" series as a little girl. I could easily identify with karen's two homes dilemma and how it affected her identity. Although I did not have divorced parents, my parents live din another country and I had to spend weeks with my aunt and weekends with my grandma. It was fun! However, other times it was simply stressful. I always felt as though I was constantly being pulled in two very opposite directions because life in the two household could not have been any more different. I wholeheartedly believe it made me stronger though. I learned to adapt to various situations and seasons of my life, while still maintaining my genuine identity. Lately,I've been reading a book titled "The Defining Decade" by meg Jay. It's helping me to understand that your twenties are a crucial time period and how, exactly, to make the best of them so that you're better off in the future. It's challenging so many of the concepts that I acquired through family members because the book constantly reinforces this idea that you don't have to have life all figured out. The beauty is in the journey. Knowing that makes me feel more at ease with myself, as a whole, and with the experiences I will encounter. Ultimately, I can say that I am just a regular girl from Brooklyn who is trying to figure out life while holding on to the things that make me sane. Writing, reading, dancing, and singing.
ReplyDeleteWow, Mitsuka. Your life has certainly been new forms of adjustment. I have not read the literature that you mention above, but I look forward to adding these books to my reading list. It was great learning about you. I hope to continue learning about you and your literary and personal interests throughout the course.
DeleteHi, classmates! My name is Kara Criscione. When asked to describe myself, I have always said, "I am not a disease," in an effort to own Crohn's Disease I have and not let it describe be. I grew up trying to live as healthy as possible so that Crohn's never had an excuse to flare up, but we were often in battle. I channeled my energy through dancing and acting. With dance, I focused on contemporary dancing because the changes in tempo gave me the ability to perform sharp movements to channel my anger and slow, drawn out movements that allowed me to simply breathe. Acting was cathartic in that every scene I performed and character I sunk myself into, I applied myself indirectly. While dancing, I would solely be thinking about myself. Through acting, I displaced my energy and pretended that I wasn't myself. But despite the symptoms of Crohn's, which often forced me to slow down from dancing, my lifetime hobby that I love passionately, I overcompensated with my academics. I knew that Crohn's had no control over my mind, so I kept my head buried in my books and glued my eyes to movies. However, my college career also forced me to redefine myself over again. I considered myself so strong in my adolescence by having the power to say, "I am not." My father died a year and two months ago, and I couldn't help but call myself, "that girl whose father died." Suddenly, everything I prided myself on went out the window and I labeled myself. This loss struck my mind, which Crohn's never have. This past year I have battled with concentration, fatigue, and what may be worth my energy. Luckily, my background in the arts continued to save me. I channeled my energy through journaling and poetry. When journaling, I wrote anything that came to mind. I used poetry when I had to find exactly what words to say and exactly how to say them because simply writing anything wasn't enough. I completed my Film Major by writing and directing a screenplay about a girl who lost her father, filled with regret, and returns to dance in an effort to make amends with their strained relationship. This brings me to today: a girl, still fueled with regret, but returning to life and making amends with the loss.
ReplyDeleteHi Kara! Your thoughts are very empowering. I hope you continue to push through life and achieve all the goals you set for yourself.
DeleteHi everyone, my name is Yocheved. As far back as I can remember, I’ve always had a thirst for knowledge. I wanted to know everything there was to know as soon as possible. When I was three years old, I learned to read. From then on, I never stopped. I read everything I could find, including advertisements, warranty information, and even the warnings on the backs of medicine bottles. When I grew a little older, I started reading chapter books. I especially loved the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her depictions of life on the prairie in the 1800s fascinated me, and I spent hours dreaming and wishing that I too could live on the prairie, in my own covered wagon. I really identified with Laura, because like me, she had brown hair and blue eyes, and like me, she was jealous of her sister who had blonde hair and blue eyes. Those books sat in a corner of my room for years, and I always found comfort in them. Then, when I was in elementary school, Scholastic (a school supplies/book publisher) started sending out monthly catalogs filled with books we could order through the school. Receiving the catalog in school became the highlight of my month. I loved looking through the pages and making wish lists of books I wanted, and sometimes earned the right to buy. When I was in fourth grade, I ordered a book about triops, a species of small crustaceans. Unbeknownst to me and my parents, the book actually came with a kit for raising your own triops. I hatched my triops and they grew into adulthood, making me very proud. Although they died within two weeks, they had awakened a new interest in me – science. I became obsessed with science and science experiments. For my birthday and Chanukah presents, I received a microscope with pre-made slides containing samples from different species, as well as a crystal growing set. One of my friends and I used the minerals from the set and mixed them with household items to “invent” things like paint and soap. Soon after, one of my uncles found out about my love for science and took me to the Museum of Natural History. There I discovered the Hayden Planetarium, and a new interest quickly developed, this time an interest in outer space. I wanted to be an astronaut, and then a rocket scientist, and then a flight room controller, and then a rocket scientist again. I got a telescope and read books and maps of outer space. This interest lasted until high school, when a health education textbook we received introduced me to medical science. Since then, my interests haven’t changed much. When I look back at my life and how my interests have changed over time, it’s funny to see how my choices in literature influenced what I thought about and spent time on. I’m excited to see how reading Italian American literature is going to help shape my views in the future.
ReplyDeleteHello Yocheved. I was intrigued by your changing interests. The American Museum of Natural History is actually one of my favorite places in New York City. In fact, the Hayden Planetarium is the one place where I can spend all day and night without ever getting bored. The amount of information that we do not know about our own universe is so captivating for me because I love to learn and discover new things every day! I look forward to learning more about you throughout this course.
DeleteHello, my name is Nayisha Wilson. From the time, I got to middle school my parents put me in an after-school program, that at the time I didn't know how much it would change and enhance my life. I was never a social person I often got bullied because I was always so small, even to this day. So, I learned to keep quiet, out of the way, and to myself. But that all changed with this program. It wasn't your ordinary after school program; this program was geared to help children like me from an underserved community get to college and be successful. Most of the youth from where I used to live either dropped out of school, was killed, or joined a gang. So, I am always so grateful for this program that had quickly became my home; and the staff and members, my family. I was introduced to things like community service, SAT prep, college tours, clubs, peer group sessions, building resumes, mock interviews, you name it! This after school transformed me, it got me out of my shell and helped me find a place where I felt I belonged and was wanted. I discovered my passion for singing through this program when I joined the music club. Shortly after I made a demo, and helped start up a gospel choir. They gave me my very first job which helped open the door to future jobs! When I was fourteen they took me and a few others to New Orleans to do habitats for humanity. I learned how to care and help others through this program, I learned to be comfortable in my own skin, and most importantly I learned how to let my guard down and build new relationships. This program helped mold me into a well-rounded individual.
ReplyDeleteHi Nayisha! I am glad you found a program that helped you find a way to higher education. I, myself, am a product of such programs that helped prepare me for a bright future. I look forward to learning more about you.
DeleteHello Everyone! My name is Mehdi Righi. This is the first time I’ve ever had to write something autobiographical that wasn’t limited to just my college major and “one interesting fact about me.”
ReplyDeleteI’m not the most articulate person, so forgive me if it sounds like I’m rambling. I grew up in Jamaica, Queens. I loved riding my bike through the neighborhood when I was a kid. When I wasn’t out playing with my friends, you could find me glued to the TV in the living room watching cartoons on Nickelodeon. I often reminisce about those days—back when I had little to no responsibilities.
Near the end of Middle School, my family moved to Bath Beach, Brooklyn. I wasn’t thrilled by this decision, but I guess it was time for a change of pace. When I first arrived at the neighborhood, the first I noticed as a teen was how diverse it was. Interacting with people from various backgrounds would expose me to different kinds of cultures and ideas which shaped my interests as an adult. The friends I’ve made here are friends that proudly supported me through High School and College.
Right now, I’m just cruising through life trying to find my place in the world. I’m still not entirely sure what I’m meant to do. For now, I’ll work towards getting an A in every course. To be frank, I didn’t originally intend on taking this course. I just needed something that would satisfy the requirements for graduation. However, a quick look at the Syllabus convinced me otherwise. I’m very interested in some of the course materials.
I will admit that my knowledge of Italian literature and films is limited to mobster films, but I know there’s more Italians than just that. I look forward to exploring the impact Italians had on media.
Hi Mehdi! Jamaica, Queens is home for me as well. I grew up in the neighborhood before moving to Brooklyn for college. I see we are in the same boat. My knowledge of Italian American literature and film is extremely limited. However, I am excited to learn about another aspect that is critical to the development of New York City and identifies with many of its residents.
DeleteHi guys, my name is Nicoletta Anthoulis. When I first read about this assignment I sat here and said “what am I suppose to write about? I don't have a creative bone in my body, I never have and its not going to change now” but when I was thinking about what creativity is, it can literally be anything you want it to be and mine is my makeup and hair. That sounds so superficial and that makes sense but it was my outlet. It was the only way I could get myself to feel better when my life was completely turned upside down when I found out I was pregnant at 19. I wasn't finished with school, wasn't married and did not have a steady job and to top it all off I found out my long term boyfriend was not faithful. I truly believed that there was something wrong with me because how could all that be happening at once to me? Sitting in front of the mirror and just avoiding the world for a little made it seem bearable. So now i’m a single mom to an amazing almost 3 year old little girl, I'm finishing school and I'm getting my life together. Doing my makeup allowed me to grow as a person because it gave me the confidence I needed to put myself out there. It helped pull me out of this depressive state I put myself in a couple of years ago. I would watch hours and hours of youtube videos of my favorite makeup gurus and in a sense I felt like I had “friends” that I could relate to. The people on youtube would talk about their everyday struggles and emotions as well, so I didn’t feel as alone without having to make myself feel uncomfortable around people I actually knew with my inner emotions. I’ve become very attached to doing my makeup and hair and even though I do it more for the my own pleasure now it still means a lot to me because it helped me get through the hardest time in my life this far and it made me feel better about myself. This helped me realize that I want to help make other people feel better about themselves so I have decided that I want to go to get my cosmetology license after I finish with my bachelors.
ReplyDeleteHi Nicoletta! I am so proud of you for continuing your education despite the unexpected path your life took. It is heart-breaking for me when girls give up on their dreams when life takes an unexpected turn. Of course, I understand that sometimes it takes us time to pull ourselves together emotionally.
DeleteAlthough I grew up as a tomboy, I now love playing with hair and makeup. I completely agree with you that the girls on Youtube and other forms of social media share so much of their life that their success through their struggles is empowering. I am only recently learning about this new world of youtube bloggers, but I already appreciate it so much!
I look forward to learning more about you.
Hi everyone! My name is Maria Anthoulis. All my life I grew up with “middle child syndrome”, even though I knew and was loved immensely, being a middle child led to me feeling as though I wasn't payed attention to as much as my other siblings. I wasn’t a difficult child so that played a part in my parents paying more attention to my siblings. This contributed to me suffering from social anxiety and to this day I still suffer from it. I was always a very shy child who got nervous and had anxiety attacks whenever I felt uncomfortable. I began to use extra-curricular activities and sports as an outlet of my anxiety and my experience as a middle child. Dancing and playing sports like basketball, volleyball, soccer and flag football all of my life helped me stand out in a way that I didn’t usually being a middle child and also being the very anxious person that I am. I didn't mind people watching me perform or play, which is very strange for me because with social anxiety I have a hard time in front of large groups. Whenever I had/have a tough day or I just need to escape from all of my stresses I always turn to sports. I have found that it is easiest for me to share my emotions with the court then with the people around me. I enjoy challenging myself as I play. Pushing myself harder every day, to accomplish every goal I set my mind too. Playing these sports has taught me how to set a goal and fight towards it until I accomplish what I set my mind too. It pressures me to think, act and speak quicker in order to reach my goal. Being on the court allows me to escape the rest of the world and focus entirely on the game, teaching me how to focus on what is in front of me, what is important at the moment and not everything else going on around me. Being a middle child and having anxiety made me realize that I want every kid to feel as special as I did playing sports, and a huge part of a child’s everyday life is being inside a classroom and around their teachers and I want to be one of those teachers that will help a child feel special.
ReplyDeleteHi Maria! You are very strong for finding the positive in your situation. I am also a middle child and often felt as if I did not receive enough attention. However, I shined through my academics and made my parents proud of me. It can be difficult, but hang in there. I love the output you took from the situation to help children feel special. I certainly could not have taken such a positive outlook. I salute you.
DeleteHi everyone, my name is Izabella Lankamer, just like Nicoletta I was also stumped as to what I'm going to write. This is what I dreaded most about first days back to school. Four years ago, I became attending events such as Spartan Race, Rugged Maniac, Tough Mudder etc. I was never athletic in high school, these races are 5+ miles and require you to complete 25+ obstacles. The first year I did these races, I fell in love and I completed 26 in one summer. I began setting goals for myself to complete more challenging races within the upcoming years. One of my main goals was to complete the Spartan Race Trifecta, which includes a spring, 5 miles, super 10 miles and a beast 18 miles. Spur of the moment, I signed up for the hardest beast they offer in Killington, Vermont. I began training for the race which included many early morning runs and a strict meal plan. I noticed a lot of change into who I was becoming. I used to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, being able to run and train got my mind off my anxiety and helped me cope with it better. When the day of the race arrived, I could not believe what I have signed up for. I cannot even describe how difficult and challenging this was but I came out knowing that I am able to complete anything I set my mind to. My anxiety and my self-confidence went up and ever since then I have accomplished a lot of my goals. I believe that knowing that I could complete such a difficult challenge, helped me accomplish many more goals a lot of faster.
ReplyDeleteHi Izabella. I am proud of you for fighting through your anxiety. It is definitely a difficult emotion to overcome. I hope you continue to live a healthy life.
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ReplyDeleteHey classmates!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Justine Del Valle and to be honest, school was never really my thing. Especially when it came to reading, it was something I would dread daily. Not because I wasn't a good reader because surprisingly I was, but because most of my childhood revolved around athletics. I wasn't just a "jock". I was actually in the gifted and talent program from K-8 and took a few AP classes in high school. Anyway, althetics were something I enjoyed since I can remember. Although I'm still very active in sports of all kinds, I found a love for reading and have learned to appreciate literature thanks to my previous professors here at BC. I was required to read 8 books last semester in an angelfish class and the second I read those requirements in the syllabus I wanted to hurl. BUT, I ended up enjoying each and every one of the books. I guess what I'm trying to say is that with the right attitude and discipline in completing tasks or a goal great things came come. My goal is to continue reading and learning to enjoy different types of literature, not only during my last few semesters in college, but even after I graduate. I hope this semester can help me to continue on my path!
Hi Justine. I am glad you found a love for reading. I have loved reading since I was a child. I used to hide my books under the covers and read using a flashlight because my mom would not let me read past me bedtime. Although I do not find much time for personal reading, I still enjoy the texts assigned through my courses. I hope we both enjoy the texts we will be reviewing in the upcoming days.
DeleteHi Justine. I am glad you found a love for reading. I have loved reading since I was a child. I used to hide my books under the covers and read using a flashlight because my mom would not let me read past my bedtime. Although I do not find much time for personal reading, I still enjoy the texts assigned through my courses. I hope we both enjoy the texts we will be reviewing in the upcoming days.
DeleteHi everyone, my name is Deidra Brisco. I was the girl who breezed through highschool, got to college and discovered I had no study skills, I flunked my first year of college. Now 27 I am in my last class of my Bachelorette degree. My favorite foreign film that I watched was Like water for chocolate which was a romance film that featured magical realism. I watched it in a class during my associates degree, this was the first time I fell in love with film. I mean I had been to the movies and always loved movies but never thought of film as this huge intellectual thing until this class. I feel things intensely, I guess its because I am a passionate person, many films move me to cry, as I watch them totally taken in and in complete silence. On another note, I adore animated films, I listen close to identify which actors voices are in the animated character. I am quite fascinated by it and hope that one day I can lend my voice to animated films. I know we are not supposed to mention our majors but it will help you to understand me. I am a media major, Id like to work in television, maybe host a show where I interview the actors and show exclusive clips. While doing voice work for animation and writing children's novels. Im the hopeful woman with many dreams, I just want to try a little of everything. Right now im hoping to book a deal doing voicework for video games this summer. My path is open and I am training my mind to think different, I would wish this for everyone, focus, positive thinking and infinite possibilities.
ReplyDeleteHi Deidra. I wish you the best of luck finishing up your bachelorette degree. I am fascinated to learn more about you through this course.
DeleteHello classmates!
ReplyDeleteMy Name is Sai Janneh and I recently moved to New York two years ago from Washington DC. Originally, I was in the fashion industry with countless of jobs as a Boutique Manager, Designs Director of a private label, and coordinator at a PR firm. One day last summer, I had a change of heart and decided to go back to school for Psychology. I have realized that I wanted to impact the world further than fashion. This change in careers has been a blessing in disguise as Brooklyn College has welcomed me with open arms. This coming Fall, I will be a Senior and I am so excited to graduate and enter the next stage in my life. I would love to travel internationally for a couple of months after graduating to learn and understand the many cultures of the world. I don't do well as a homebody. I love to be mentally stimulated and I cant wait to gain more knowledge from this class as well as my many experiences i will encounter this summer
Hi Sai. I wish you the best of luck finishing up your bachelorette degree. I aspire to travel to different countries and learn about their cultures as well. I can not wait to learn more about you throughout the semester!
DeleteHello everyone! My name is Rabia Mehmood. I grew up in New York City. The summer before I began college, my parents moved out of state. I, therefore, had to learn to live alone and fend for myself. Our ignorance about the luxuries in our life are truly fascinating! I always took my cell phone, television, and wifi for granted. Little did I know that the bills for these services add up to a lot. I have grown so stingy living alone that I have compromised on the most basic necessity required for higher education in 21st century America - wifi. As you can now imagine, I do not watch much television either, although I was a big fan growing up.
ReplyDeleteI have definitely been blessed growing up. Although we grew up financially disadvantaged, special programs in my elementary school, middle school, and high school helped prepare me for higher education. In elementary school, I read two Shakespeare plays - "Romeo and Juliet" and "Macbeth." I instantly fell in love with both plays because of the way Shakespeare allowed the characters' emotions to fall through to the audience. I aspire to read many more Shakespeare plays.
My other favorite novels include "Night" by Elie Wiesel and "1984" by George Orwell. The former focuses on the authors' experiences in the Nazi German concentration camps at Auschwitz and Buchenwald. The latter focuses on a tyranny form of government in which technology is used to control every aspect of a residents' life. Both novels will always stay with me because they describe the status to which humans can stoop to. The former describes actual occurrences of human torture and the latter describes situations we may easily experience in this growing technological world of ours. Already, we have cameras everywhere from surveillance in stores to our phones and laptops. While surveillance is mostly beneficial in today's date, there are instances in which computers and phones are hacked and images from your laptop camera are stolen. This takes places primarily in third world countries, from what I know. As a result, I have grown more cautious of the amount of personal information I post to social sites and I refrain from keeping too many personal images on electronics. I prefer printed versions that remain safe inside my storage.
I never had a front lawn growing up, let alone a backyard. When my parents purchased their first home with the help of a family member, we got our very fist backyard! It may not be very big, but it is sufficient for all our hopes and dreams. My family and I always wanted to grow our own vegetables and now we finally have a chance! Any free time that I am able to spend in my parents' home, I spend gardening. This hobby keeps me busy physically, mentally, and emotionally. I get to see my hard work come to fruition. I hope to always be able to garden!
I can always go on to tell you more about myself. Just contact me and I will be more than happy to share my hopes, dreams, and personal experiences! I can not wait to get to know everyone more!
Hello, my name is Farouk Khan. Whenever I am asked to write about myself, I am always stuck not knowing what to write, especially this time since I am not supposed to write about my education or career, and I do not feel like I've led a life with much struggle or success for that matter when compared to an average person. I just don’t care for writing or reading factual and autobiographical text unless I am required to. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy literature and film, I just prefer different genres. I’ve always been the outcast, never getting along or having anything in common with any siblings, cousins, and for a majority of my education; fellow classmates. So I would escape into a novel, getting so preoccupied with the story that I would lose track of time and almost forget what was going on around me. Growing up I was really lucky that my schools always assigned books I enjoyed, Harry Potter, Hunger Games, The Bluford series, and anything by Todd Strasser to name a few. I have reread those books several times over. I suppose this is the part where I explain how these books helped me grow as a person, but quite honestly they didn’t. They were nothing more than entertainment to me, I never had an epiphany while ready that changed my outlook on life or taught me some lesson that I needed to learn. On Reddit, an online forum, I often see people make posts about single books that have changed their lives and I have tried the books they posted about but have not had the same experience. I continue to read but mostly in the form of short stories that are responses to writing prompts from Reddit. I do hope one day I do run into a life changing book, but until then I will just have to continue personal growth in some other way.
ReplyDeleteHello Farouk! I have read some of the books you mention in your post and many other books not mentioned. Like you, I never had a life-changing epiphany while reading a book. Like they were for you, these books were entertainment for me. From what I understand through this excerpt into your life, you are still in search of some motivation or passion in life. If you would like to take my advice, I think college is a perfect time to try new things and learn more about yourself. In academia, you could take a hand at courses you never before imagined you would take - language, business, health, literature, etc. Who knows? One course may strike your interest! Similarly, you should definitely enjoy life to the fullest and if you have the financial means, travel and learn about new cultures. Those are just some of my thoughts.
DeleteI hope I get to follow your journey looking for what you are passionate about. I am sure you will do great things!
Hello everyone, my name is Mariam Tsurtsumia. One thing I've always loved was reading, since I was just a little kid. I would be sucked into the books experiencing the journeys the characters faced. I read everywhere I went; my mom would always yell at me telling me to go to sleep at night but instead I would secretly read my book in the lamplight shining from outside my window, turning the pages as quietly and as slowly as I could. Reading was my escape from the real world. I was 5 years old when I came to the United States and didn't speak a word of English. It was pretty tough adjusting but I was a fast learner. In first grade my ESL teacher gave me a book that I instantly fell in love with. After all these years I still have it with me. And every time I read it, it makes me feel the same way as I felt the first time I read it. The book is called "Love You Forever". This is my favorite childhood book. Unfortunately over time, as I grew older, I drifted apart from my books. As I grew older, life started happening. Working full time and going to school full time was all I knew. To be honest I love what I do, but it takes up a lot of my time. The books I read was mostly the books required for my classes. Although I would not have thought of reading these books outside of class, I loved them nevertheless. Besides reading, I love writing. Writing stories and coming up with different ideas is something that really interests me. I am not a very creative person when it comes to art and music. I was always very quiet and withdrawn in a way. I am a very observant person. Watching from the outside and taking in all the information. My life experiences have made me break through my shell, although I can be shy, I am not antisocial and I am not afraid to speak my mind.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger I suffered with epilepsy. I felt like an outcast in my younger years. I had many episodes while I was in class, but it was so quiet no one would notice. Sometimes I would just zone out completely not being aware of anything when I would come back to existence to the teacher calling my name. Throughout my younger years, before breaking out of my shell, my only escape was my books and writing stories. They got my feelings and worries out. I would put my experiences in the lives of the characters and created a whole new world which I would imagine myself in. As I met new people and gained new friends I started breaking out of my shell little by little. Very focused on my future and what I want in life, I pushed through all the struggles life has thrown at me. Although sometimes I stumble and face difficult times, I am not a person that gives up.
Hi Mariam. I began reading your post thinking, "Wow, I could totally relate to this girl!" However, as I read on, I learned that you definitely do have a tough life that maybe I could not compare my life to. I am currently undergoing some health issues that require me to just sit down doing nothing for a couple minutes everyday, but I am still not sure if that relates to your episodes. Nevertheless, I know you are strong enough to push past your health symptoms every day and to thrive in what you do. I wish you the best of luck with work, life, and this course. Stay in touch!
DeleteHello everyone my name is Safietou Bonkoungou(I know the last name is not one that is easy to pronounce) . I know I am so late , so this blog ,I just catching with this whole online class . As my college journey comes to an end ,I feel as though I am finally finding myself . Back in high school I was always though I was so smart ,but when I got to college that when learn there is no A+ without the effort. In all my four years of being in college ,starting last year was the first time I felt the pressure . I know so much about myself and how I am in school or also outside of school . I have soo flaws that I need to work on. Like one of our classmate mention I was always thirsty for knowledge ,but I never applied the knowledge I gain . I learn talking is easier said than done . Being a child of immagrants the pressure to succeed is always in the back of my mind . Failure is not an option . Not only do I want the knowledge ,I need the knowledge I got a taste of poverty and lets just I am sure success taste much better . With all my trial and error I can say I am more focus , more hungry and determined to succeed not just for me ,but for the ones that made scrafices for me .
ReplyDeleteHello Safiatou. I am also an immigrant. I moved to the United States pretty young, but I continue to have a conflict in identity. My family in Pakistan does not consider me legitimately Pakistani, and in the United States of America, I am not considered legitimately American. So then the question always remains: who am I? I resonate with both cultures, but neither wants to accept me.
ReplyDeleteI hope us immigrants can grow to counter these stereotypes and help the world embrace a mix of cultures that is more globally common as the 21st century progresses.
Hello everyone my name is Eram Sakandar. I apologize for being this late for this post I was having a hard time locating this webpage. My failure to understand caused this miscommunication. There was an issue with the browser.
ReplyDeleteNow lets talk about me. I am a veteran. I was on active duty and recently came off duty. The best experience in my career was my deployment to South Korea. Joining the military was my passion. I knew I wanted to be a part of the military.My Job in the military was Human Resources Specialist. It was very interesting and I am still trying to get used to the college environment.
In regards to my hobbies I love movies. I love watching films and reading books. Watching films has helped me grow. It has thought me a lot of different things. Films have changed my view and the way I look at things. Films have a big impact on my life. It has helped me experience things that I never experienced in real life.
Books have made me a better person as well. I am not a big reader. I used to be really scared of books but I started reading little ones that helped me get over my fear. I also had anger issues as a child and watching movies has helped me control my anger. I knew being angry all the time is not a good thing thus I found ways to help me clam myself.
Hello everyone my name is Jessica Borr. I am lucky to be a part of a big family, I have a sister(32) brother (19) stepsister (17) step brother (20). I recently moved to brooklyn hoping to find a chance to begin my career life. I dont exactly know what I want to do but hopefully I will find my way soon. I am a full time manager of a Hair Salon/Spa in NJ. Have been doing it for a few years and love the business environment and working with people. I am not a big fan of change and get anxiety when I am uncertain of things...I guess thats why im a Libra. This summer is the summer to find myself and where I want to be in my future. I have overcome a lot of obstacles in my short life. Losing a father at a young age made me strong and motivated to succeed and help my family. Failure is not an option because I cannot disappoint my father. I love movies. I love to get lost in a fairy tale or something that you can only imagine. Movies excite me because its a film created to satisfy your mind.
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