Personal Narrative: Personal Identity

What makes up our identity?This question has been asked for a really long time that some have attempted to answer but often look at the wrong things that make up our identity.Some people have thought that what makes up our identity are the different important times in our life.Though what really makes up our identity are the 7 categories of otherness.The 7 categories of otherness are race, sexual orientation, age, religion, able- bodied, gender and finally socio-economic.

There were several times when act of persuasion seriously affected and deeply changed my life. However, immigrating to United States is on the top of my list that affected not only my life, but also who I am. During my fifth grade year, my uncle’s family called and suggested about participating in a foreign exchange student program. At first, I was not sure if I would be able to take care of myself away from my parents and because of that, I continued to say “no” until in the middle of my sixth grade year. During those one and a half years of hesitation, my uncle had sent me pictures of his house, surroundings, school, etc. Those pictures gave me a whole new perspective about immigrating to United States and helped me build enough

Growing up a first generation Indian American, I struggled with identity. I asked my parents: was I Indian born-American or American born-Indian? They had conflicting answers. My mother said my ancestry is Indian, but to embrace my American identity. She taught me the values of hard work, independence, and seizing opportunities. My father encouraged me to retain my Indian heritage. He stressed that my traditions, cultural values, and family are who I am. After my parents’ divorce, I ended up living a double life, split between school years with my mom and summers with my dad. Learning to adapt to my parents’ expectations and financial circumstances made me the well-rounded, open-minded and educated person that I am today.

What do you want me to say? (Throws hands up in the air) That I am so excited to be moving to another foster home? That my parents didn’t want me to begin with in the first place? How can “parents” do that to someone? To be excited to be treated the same as I have been in every other home before? No. These people are going to be just like every other set of parents that I’ve always had, not excepting and judgmental. They will be excited at first to meet me, get to know me, and then a few years down the road, they will say that they can’t connect with me, and can’t do this anymore. If you’re wondering if I care, I don’t and I am not excited. (She turns her body to look at Mike) But you know what? All of this won’t even matter in a couple years, I’m going to be eighteen in a few days, I am not a baby

The human experience is not a vague suggestion of what all people strive for. This is an individualized set of preferences and priorities that each person desires in life. We are all unique beings and as a physical therapist, there is a duty to create a specific strategy of care that is centered on the needs of the consumer. Movement is the basis of everything. Optimizing movement by improving mobility and motion, managing pain, and regaining original capabilities will guide society to healthier and more active lifestyles.

I interviewed Bria. She is a senior who goes to Rosemount High School. She plans on going to Normandale for two years. So that she can get her basic college classes out of the way. Her family wants to plan to move to Houston before she finishes up her basic college classes at Normandale or maybe after. She plans on moving by herself or with a trusted friend. She then plans on finding a college she would like to finish the rest of her years at. She was looking in California because she would really like to live there. Bria was also considering Florida. But she isn’t sure yet. She’s waiting to see how her future goes and then make big decisions like those on where she wants to live or start a family. Bria has also had experience with moving since

“Siblings who hope to stand out in a family often do so by observing what the elder child does and then doing the opposite” (Kluger 48). I knew the consequences of what his decisions were, and I did not want to be in a similar position, especially at such an early age. I strived to be different than him. I strived to be better than him. Some of the things I experienced throughout my childhood forced me to grow up extremely fast compared to most people my age. Since I had to grow up fast, I never really had the typical childhood most kids get to experience. I felt like I could not make mistakes. This is when I started to become very harsh on myself. I did not want to disappoint my parents, so I did everything in my power to be the child that I thought they wanted me to be. Children who feel left out against their siblings can become worried and anxious, because their experiences of deprivation have been incorporated with how they view themselves (Marano 58). As I have gotten older and life has started to slow down for my family, my parents have worked hard to make sure that I feel accepted by them. Having my parent’s acceptance is very important to me. Looking back at this experience, I now realize I am only human, and that being “perfect” all the time is unrealistic, and that is something that I have accepted.

My family started assigning me with more responsibilities such as taking care of my brother along with my cousins after school. This entailed helping them do their homework, feeding them, and entertaining them. I thought this was somewhat a difficult task because they would easily get in arguments which meant I had to take charge and rather solve their problem or explain to them that it's not worth fighting over a toy and that they should learn to share. For example, one day they were fighting over who would get to ride a scooter first and Allison argued that she found the scooter first and then Jason explained that he was older one. After a few minutes of them arguing we finally concluded that it would only be fair that the one that found

Relocating from an urban location to suburban setting was a life-changing occasion that altered me for the rest of my life. In 2005, my mother gave birth to my younger twin sisters, which influenced my parents’ decision that it was time to move our family from the city to the outskirts of Philadelphia. Although we knew that moving was the responsible thing to do, my brother and I acquired no interest to leave our home, friends, family, or our schools. Consequently, Ryan, my eldest brother, had a charismatic personality; therefore, he had several pals to whom he would have to say goodbye. In addition, as a little girl, I was sociable just as my brother and had various friends to say my farewells to as well. Moreover, my family and I were unaware

Angie again told Bev she could have as much fun as she wanted because word of anything she did at the resort wouldn’t get back to Dave from us. She then told Bev if she was going to have fun with the guys she was also going to join in the fun and it should be real entertaining.

I never realized how expensive it is to eat, to drive, and to live in general. Everyone has to pay for housing, for a car, for gas, for college, for utilities, for food, and for so much more. With what some people get paid, I don't know how they can survive. If you make minimum wage and have a kid, how are you supposed to feed your child and yourself? It seems to me that you must go to college in order to survive freely with little worry. Getting a job and a car has made me realize this.

Ever feel like that no one understands you, or what you are going though? I felt like that for a while. Then I met my uncle Brandon Buttry. The kid actually understood how I felt, he had been though similar things. As if that wasn’t good enough, he was known as the type of person who would always brighten your spirits up. About a lifetime ago, the first time I met the Buttry clan, I was the outcast. Truthfully most of the kids took their time in warming up to me. Honestly, I doubt they even wanted to spend time with me willingly. Eventually, Micah and Noah my aunt and uncle the same age as me; we became inseparable. Although before that Brandon was my only true friend. Never will I forget how grateful I am for the times that we bonded.

Within my family there is my dad, my mom, my older brother Michael, my younger brother Evan, and I. Michael was the first child, my parents full of hope for him, and was set out to be the prodigal son. However, as most first children went my parents were totally new to children so they had a few hiccups. He eventually grew to the point where he couldn 't be changed. My parents already thought of this and had me. Whereas Michael was a easy baby and child presenting few problems, probably why they thought having me was a good idea, I was not. I was a rough baby always making a fuss and crying and in a way different to Michael I refused all toys and tricks to make me quiet. As later put by my father I was “hell” to raise.” However I showed signs of promise as I clung on to every word my parents said and believed and did as they told no questions asked. Then I began to think for myself and began to quit my sports and become more inactive which made me less of that golden child. Then they had Evan, their last chance. They have no other son to try and make that perfect one so it had to be Evan. While my parents still deeply love both Michael and I it is easy to see who they favor and what they are trying to do. Having a favored brother is not all bad, it taught me how hard it is to be a parent, manipulation, and how to deal with unfavorable situations.

I was blessed with a happy childhood filled with good memories and a supporting group of family ,friends and teachers. However, by the time I was thirteen, I had constantly been getting into trouble in school and at home. I would get into unnecessary fights both on the playground and off. Texting has become the note-passing of twenty-First-century bullies and this was the way people treated me. At home, I would get into conflict with my parents because of the sad news of my grades. They cared about my future, but I didn’t. Growing up with an older brother who constantly did well in school made me feel inferior, isolated and lonely. It felt like my parents believed he would succeed, but that I wouldn't. Similar to the animated television series “Tom and Jerry” my parents would see my brother as Jerry, the innocent one, and me as Tom, the big cruel one.

Having parents in the military isn’t easy. You constantly thinking if they’re okay, and when they're ever going to ever be able to come back home. I can for sure say that my parents mean everything to me, and I couldn’t bare to see one of them go. At a young age too, you really don’t know much about what’s going on unless you watch the news or hear gossip on the playground, but it always seemed to me that I knew exactly what was going on. I’m the youngest of three, I have one brother and a sister. We are relatively close in age, my brother only being three years older than me, and my sister being a year older. My family is very close to each other. We always keep in touch since all of us have moved out the house and gone to college or either joined the military. I don’t think that if it wasn’t for my parents serving years in the military and being gone so much, that we would have such a tight bond as we do now.