LC Exercise #3 Part 1: The Realization of "Why Not?"

1. Sing in front of people

2. Write a book

3. All the usual fantasies like be in a movie, or a band, or model, or whatever!

4. Learn how to play guitar

5. Random, but.. Start a YUGA chapter (club)!

I chose to start my own YUGA chapter, but I haven’t exactly gotten that far with it yet, so I can’t really decide if it’s a failure or success at this point (but it looks promising!). YUGA (Youth United for Global Action and Awareness) is an organization created by Plan, a non-profit international development agency, and it’s something I had heard about a long time ago, but never thought I would actually attempt because I guess I was afraid of failure and embarrassment. I’ve always wanted to do it mainly because I always think about making change, but rarely ever actually act on it- I would finally be making a difference. I also would really like to make my grandfather, who was the director of Plan’s aid program in Hong Kong previously, proud, and I would love to work for Plan, or an organization like it, in the future. What made me decide to pick this though, was just the realization of “why not?”- if I want to do it, then I should do it, simple. Some of my other options were a lot scarier and didn’t offer me as many benefits, so this was the obvious choice.

I chose to do it co-operatively with a friend I had traveled with, Jenny Allison, who I knew would be interested. So far we have discussed plans and brainstormed ideas for events and fundraisers we could have and are currently searching for a supervisor. So, slowly we’re making progress. We have yet to have our first meeting, but it really seems like a lot of people are interested and that we can make this work! I’ve learned that it’s only the first step that’s difficult; once you get started it’s not as scary anymore.

I still don’t think I’m going to overcome my fear of singing in front of people anytime soon, but when it comes to other things it should be less nerve-racking because really, what’s the big deal? People like the idea of the club, so why was I ever so scared to try it? When I really think about it, no one would really judge me for any of the things I wrote on my list, yet in the back of my mind somehow I still am a little afraid that they would if I were to try some of them.

On a related side note, I would like to take this time to say thank you because before this exercise I was already inspired by Love Course to try something I feared, and it turned out great! I absolutely love to sing, and when I heard about the a cappella group at Sharon High School I secretly really wanted to do it, but knew that I would never actually try out because there’s nothing I fear more than singing in front of people. Then later on we watched “Yes Man” and learned in class about how we can raise our happiness levels by saying yes to opportunities and so I decided to try it- not saying yes to everything, but being more open to things. Of course, that same day, a few periods later, one of my good friends who was in a cappella last year begged me to try out- and after a lot of contemplating and worrying and more persuasion on her part, I finally signed up. I thought I was going to faint but I actually survived the try out, and actually ended up making it in- and I can say now that it has in fact made me happier.

Although, as I’ve said, we still haven’t gotten very far with the club, I’ve learned from this exercise that it’s okay to try because most of the time it’ll turn out okay- and even if it doesn’t, no one really cares. 

APUSH Journal #4: John Brown: Freedom-Fighter or Terrorist?

It seems for every debate we have involving violence, I surprise myself and say it’s justified. I believe John Brown is a heroic freedom-fighter, rather than a murdering terrorist, because I appreciate his struggle to help others. Although I disapprove of the way he killed those people, I unexpectedly believe the act of killing them was warranted. This is mostly because I strongly condemn the institution of slavery, and believe that almost any measures should have been taken to end it, since peaceful, non-violent methods did not work even after trying for so many years. John Brown was fighting for something he believed in, something he was passionate about. Abolitionists had tried so many other different protests, but they all failed to get people’s attention and were unable to make change in the South. In order to end slavery, drastic measures had to be taken, people had to finally act, and he did just that. Many people wrote in abolitionist newspapers to express their views and also helped fugitive slaves escape by hiding them, but more needed to be done. Because cotton, and thus slaves, were so much a part of not just the Southern economy, but also the entire US economy, and the Southern way of life, peaceful protests were no longer realistic. Although John Brown actually failed in creating a slave uprising, he gave up his life trying.

John Brown was also a special abolitionist; unlike most, he thought slavery was wrong and he was not prejudice or racist towards African Americans. He grew up in a mostly black community, was an Underground Railroad conductor, and even adopted fugitive slave orphans as his own children. This fight wasn’t for a cause unknown to him; he was truly fighting for his family, friends, and neighbors. Most people would argue that since he was not ever a slave, nor an African American, he can not be called a freedom-fighter because it was not his own freedom that he was fighting for, but really he was fighting for his own children! He was “standing up for the millions without rights” and without voices; he was fighting for those who could not fight for themselves.

Many people also feel that he was a terrorist, but because he was doing it for a cause I too believe in, I am unable to view him this way. It is unfortunate that people were killed, but slavery is such an obscene and inhumane institution that I actually don’t even feel bad for them (as horrible as that sounds). Millions of African Americans were enslaved against their will, being forced to do huge amounts of physical labor, treated like property, separated from their families, some experiencing extremely harsh punishments, even death- so I don’t feel much pity for the five to seven people John Brown murdered if they believed that treating African Americans that way was okay. Osama Bin Laden, as John Brown was referred to as multiple times during our debate in class, is extremely different, mostly because of his cause. Al-Qaeda’s purpose is to create a pan-Islamic world, killing all non-Muslims- abolitionists just wanted to end slavery, trying first peaceful methods before violence. Yes, John Brown most likely would have continued killing had he gotten the chance, but he didn’t plan on killing all slave-owners, he was just trying to make a point, and we can not forget that violence broke out in “Bleeding Kansas” before this occurred.

It was very surprising to me how little of the class believed what he did was good- I expected it to be more equally split. Killing people, especially in the gruesome way John Brown did, is wrong, but I don’t think enough people were really looking at why he did it. Even people who believed slaves had the right to kill, thought John Brown didn’t, which I thought was really very strange, because it’s almost the same thing. John Brown died for his cause, for his children, for every slave, and for that I believe what he did was noble rather than cruel, wrong, or too extreme.

LC Honors Project #2: Volunteerism/Community Service and Journal

Community Service Project: Helping a small village near Santa Clara, Ecuador in the Amazon rainforest replace pipes, and also interacting with the children of that community

Program: World Challenge

Contact: Rachel Walker or Leah Crosby (teacher chaperones on the trip)

Duration of the Project: Live in the village for almost 6 days; Specifically work on replacing the pipes for 7 hours

DAY 1

Hour 1 & 2: We woke up super early so that we’d be ready to meet some of the villagers who were going to help us at 8:00 AM. Everyone was incredibly excited, as this, for most of us, was what we had been looking forward to most on the trip. Five males arrived with a bunch of tools (although not enough for everyone to have their own) such as pick axes, shovels, hoes, and machetes. We walked for about 20 minutes up a dirt road just to get to where the project area was. It was all crops, so we had to first clear the area, and then we finally began to dig. Our initial goal was to reach the old pipe, so at first we were just sort of digging everywhere, just guessing where is would be. We all took turns subbing in for each other and switching tools when we got tired or bored. Finally, we found the old pipe in one area, and from there we were able to get a little more organized. The first two hours went by really quickly, probably because we were still so motivated and excited to be a part of something like that. It was tiring work, but it was fun, and no one really complained because it was actually really enjoyable.

Hour 3 & 4: After the 2 hour mark, the thrill of it all started to ware off. Now, it was sort of just work… But we were moving quickly, with so many of us (22 including the adults) we actually made a lot of progress, even if I personally didn’t feel I was being all that helpful (I’d never done anything like that before, and it’s hard!). The Ecuadorians working side by side with us made it look so easy, they were faster and more efficient than any of the Americans- so we definitely had to work hard, not just to keep up with them, but also to show them that not all Americans are lazy and incompetent! Slowly loosing steam though, we finally headed back for a much needed, and much deserved, lunch.

DAY 2

Hour 5: We had to finish digging up the original pipe still, so in the poring rain we marched up to the project location and continued to work where we had left off before. It was incredibly difficult because of all the rain- everything was mud. As soon as we would dig out some dirt, the hole would fill up with water and more dirt would slide into its place. Because we had some trouble with some of the kids playing with our stuff and also some stray dogs breaking into our food the other day, we decided two of us at a time would stay back in shifts, and it was my turn to go. After not accomplishing much, I trudged back to our campsite, only to find that I wasn’t needed. Heading back, I ran into the group who had decided to call it quits because the rain was making it too difficult. We were all disappointed, but there was nothing we could do.

DAY 3

Hour 6 & 7: It was raining again, so it was a delayed start, but we did actually get to do it once the rain got lighter. We were determined to get it done, since this was the last day we could work on it. We quickly finished digging up the old pipe, pulled it all out, and then carried all the new pipes to the project area. The old pipes were made with a thick rubber-like material and not very reliable, these new ones were much sturdier and stronger (which we paid for). Then we started the installation! Using glue- yes, glue- some of the villagers helped us piece them together one by one. Absolutely covered head to toe in mud, we re-buried the pipes, and finally we were done! This project had been started by another World Challenge group, who had only installed 18 tubes- we installed 19! Even though we missed a lot of time, we actually did more than expected and did some of the next World Challenge group’s work! It was a really satisfying feeling, and they all appreciated it so much.

            When we had the assembly for the World Challenge trip, I knew right then and there that I was going. Obviously the adventure, travel, and hiking appealed to me as well, but the community service aspect was something I had always wanted to do. World Challenge is all about letting the kids choose- so we all decided that we really wanted to do something that had to do with the environment, but also interacting with the locals. World Challenge then, as our departure draws nearer, finds a particular need and creates a project for the different groups traveling there. Unfortunately, the best they could do was have us continue replacing the pipes, which one group had started the previous summer. I was really disappointed because I was really set on helping save the rainforest! But this did give us an amazing opportunity to live in a village and meet all these people.

            It was an absolutely incredible experience- but I do have to say, I thought it would be a lot more meaningful and inspiring. Not that these people didn’t deserve our help, but I thought they’d be a lot worse off- I wasn’t expecting to be replacing pipes, I thought we’d be helping them get their first running water! Instead of doing something “life changing” I felt more like we were just doing them a favor. It was special, but not nearly as much as I thought it’d be unfortunately. I guess I was sort of imaging starving children in Africa who are in desperate need of mosquito nets, or something.

            We did make a huge impact though; the villagers were exceedingly grateful and were so unbelievably kind to us. They gave us a place to stay, provided tools for us and helped us the whole way, happily worked side by side with us (or better, laughed at us the entire time), cooked us an extremely delicious meal for our last night there, and even held a “dance” and soccer game for us. They did more for us than we did for them!

            My favorite part was not the actual labor; it was just playing with the kids during the afternoons! Not only were they the most adorable kids ever, but we honestly had so much fun with them. That’s the part where I actually felt like I was making a difference. This one girl, Nicole, was incredibly smart for her age and was so obsessed with learning new things and was completely fascinated by us. The first thing she said to me was “Excuse me, teacher, may I go to the bathroom?” because that was the longest English phrase she knew. When other kids wanted to play volleyball with the beach ball we brought them, she wouldn’t let them because the ball had a globe on it and she wanted to practice her geography. At the end of our time there I gave her children’s books with both English and Spanish in them, and she was so excited because as she said a million times, all she wants to do is go to America- I cried a little.

            As for the manual labor portion of it, I was extremely excited at first, but that gradually wore off. Not only was it so much more difficult than I expected (it’s pathetic how I never do yard work or anything close to what we did there), but as I said, it felt more just like helping out than the meaningful experience I wanted it to be. It was still so worth it though because they really did appreciate our service.

            Time is definitely a huge barrier preventing me from volunteering more, but really it is more of an excuse. If I really made the effort I know I could make it a bigger part of my schedule. Recently I have been trying harder to volunteer more: assistant coaching recreational soccer for first grade girls and helping sell cards for Hope in Bloom (an organization that creates gardens for women with breast cancer) with photography club, but they haven’t been for causes I’m passionate about and I know I should be doing more. Another excuse I give myself is that a lot of the causes I would want to support would mostly just involve donating money rather than time because they are over-seas, but I know that there actually are ways for me to get involved other than traveling there.

I definitely feel better doing something for someone else rather than myself. Especially with this project, just seeing the people we were helping directly and having a personal connection with them made it so much more rewarding. The looks on their faces, just the way they said thank you, their incredible hospitality- our effort definitely didn’t go unrecognized. You won’t get something in return all the time, but most of the time when you help others, others will help you- and you’ll just feel so much better about yourself, like you’re doing something right- so it’s not like helping others is truly an unselfish act.

Altruism isn’t really a valid concept, or it least it’s extremely rare. You almost always get something out of helping others; most of the time the reason people help others is to feel better about themselves and give their lives more meaning. The sad truth is that “Psychological hedonism” is almost always present- egoism is the driving force behind people helping others.^[1] That’s not necessarily a bad thing though; if people are truly selfish creatures, then there will always be a motivation for them to help: it’s helps them. When I think about it, doing this community service project was essentially for myself. Why was I looking forward so much to it on the trip? Because I wanted to help? No, why did I want to help? Simple, because it would give me that feeling of making a difference and make me feel like a better person. Thus, this was not selfless in the least.

Being a part of this community service project was truly incredible, something I will never forget. This project was miniscule- not very difficult change, only affecting a few- but it was a start, and I know I’m capable of more. Doing this just solidified my dream of working for an international aid organization in the future- whether on the field or in the office, I know I want to continue to make an impact in the world. I may not be altruistic, as that is near impossible, but having that urge to help is still something.

Works Cited:
[1]=”The Case Against Altruism and Kindness” Packet 

LC Exercise #3 Part 2: 75 Simple Pleasures

1.      Listening to music (LOUDLY)

2.      Singing

3.      Driving with the windows down and music blaring

4.      Sitting in the car with headphones and listening to all the songs that give you chills and just watching everything pass by in the window

5.      Cat naps

6.      Wearing my pink, fluffy robe

7.      Cuddling

8.      Walking barefoot outside

9.      Walking on the beach

10.  Getting buried in the sand at the beach

11.  Sand massages

12.  Feeling the warmth of the sun when I’m chilly

13.  Getting knocked down by waves

14.  Just floating underwater listening to the quiet

15.  Chocolate (and that first sip of water afterwards)

16.  Eating with chopsticks

17.  Eating yogurt by only dunking the spoon in, NOT scooping

18.  A night in watching a movie with my sister

19.  Watching a HAPPY movie with my mom and crying our eyes out together

20.  Venting to my mom

21.  Hugging my youngest sister until she finally breaks free

22.  The smell of paint

23.  The smell of a lawnmower

24.  The smell of an ice cream shop

25.  Long showers where you can just think

26.  Singing in the shower

27.  Showers in the rain

28.  Watching the lightning from my bedroom window during a summer storm (and the smell of it!)

29.  Talking about the news with my dad

30.  Just talking about our next family vacation

31.  Talking with my sister in a Russian accent (just being weird together)

32.  Dancing crazily to annoy my sisters until they join me

33.  Laughing until I cry

34.  Having a good cry with my two best friends

35.  Comfortable silence with my two best friends

36.  Pigging out and not feeling guilty with my two best friends

37.  Playing this game where every time you eat something (a Tostitos chip or a scoop of ice cream, etc.) you have to say something that’s been on your mind- absolutely anything!

38.  Attempting to pull all-nighters when we know we shouldn’t

39.  Getting in that state where EVERYTHING is funny

40.  Being in a situation that is so ridiculous and awful that you’re able to laugh about it right then, not later

41.  Making “to-do lists” and checking things off

42.  Cleaning my room every Sunday with music blasting

43.  Finding money or something I lost a long time ago that I forgot about in random places

44.  Lying in my UNMADE bed

45.  Playing soccer and getting in that state when you don’t even realize you’re running anymore and you don’t get tired (FLOW)

46.  Taking a hike and being the only ones on the trail

47.  Running through a field

48.  The perfect summer night

49.  Lying on the grass

50.  Lying in a hammock

51.  Falling asleep outside

52.  Cloud watching

53.  Stargazing

54.  Skinny dipping

55.  Being in a city (especially at night!)

56.  People watching

57.  Getting lost in the middle of nowhere

58.  Taking a walk as a slight breeze blows the colorful leaves around in the fall

59.  The first snow

60.  Just being outside (BIOPHELIA)

61.  Reminiscing about good times with friends

62.  Looking through scrapbooks

63.  Thinking about the future

64.  When the kids I babysit finally go to sleep

65.  When the kids I babysit try to have an adult conversation with me

66.  Acting like a kid with the kids I babysit

67.  Hearing a great song for the first time and NEEDING to know what it is

68.  Live music (the whole experience of it; dancing in a crowd, the energy, being in the same room and singing with someone you greatly admire, etc.!)

69.  Packing for a trip

70.  Being in an airport

71.  Having someone laugh at you because you’re a tourist

72.  Checking things off my bucket list

73.  Having that little revelation where I’m like “I’m happy”

74.  Making someone else smile

75.  ACTUALLY being funny

*(bold=completed that day)

This definitely brightened my day! Trying to do as many as possible was really fun, although some of my simple pleasures were a little rushed. I enjoyed all of the ones I was able to fit into my day, but a few of them, such as taking a walk or listening to music, require more time (I like spending almost entire days just blasting music haha). Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed this exercise. Everything just brought that sensation of “mmm.. this is nice.. I really like this..”- and it was even nicer actually recognizing that feeling and fully appreciating it. I realized there were definitely some common themes here: music, which I knew already; being outside, which I don’t get to do nearly enough; and being with my family and friends, but also having some me time. This exercise definitely goes a long with many aspects of happiness and how to achieve it, but mostly it was just about appreciating the little things, and it worked.

LC Blog #3: The Bystander Effect

Scenario 1:

I think people would be equally likely to help or not help, a 4 on the scale, because many people would think that it’s their own fault because they were driving recklessly, but also many people would stop anyways because the driver or passengers could be seriously hurt and that’s more important. So even though a lot of people would believe they brought it on themselves, the seriousness of the issue might make them stop anyways to make sure the people were alright. If they personally were cut off by that car they would be less likely to stop and help, but others who merely witnessed it might offer their assistance more easily. Also, if one car pulls over, more might feel inclined to as well. (Or they wouldn’t feel guilty about not helping if someone else already is…)

Scenario 2:

I think people would be slightly more likely to help, a 3 on the scale, because many people would most likely know the teacher personally and be more inclined to help, and once one person bends over to help pick up a paper, almost everyone else starts to help pick them up too. If someone knew the teacher they would be more likely to help pick up the papers, whether because that connection they have with them makes them actually want to help, or if because later they would have to be in a class with them and it would be rude if they simply walked past. The reason I did not rate it as a 1 or a 2 is because many students would be in a rush, and thus less likely to help, and if that one person does not start it, most likely people will just continue to walk past.

Scenario 3:

I believe people would be very unlikely to help in this situation, a 7 on the scale, for many reasons. Just like the mother yelling at her child, someone might feel uncomfortable to intervene because it’s none of their business- Maybe the guy deserves it? Maybe this is just a one time argument? Because people don’t know the back story, many would hesitate to get involved because it could end up being something completely different than what they assume just from watching it. Also, in this situation it could be potentially dangerous for someone to try to help, so even if they really believed they should intervene, they probably wouldn’t for the sake of their own safety. There’s always the chance that someone would help though, maybe if they didn’t feel threatened by the men, or if they felt confident enough that there was a real problem they’d call for help. You never know; someone might recognize the men and know that they’re trouble, and understand better the seriousness of the matter, or maybe even know the man who’s in trouble and feel more eager to help.

Scenario 4:

For this situation, I feel that most people would not help, maybe a 5 or 6 on the scale. For something like this where a problem isn’t very recognizable, most people would hesitate to help. Also, seeing that others are not helping either would make people even less likely to offer their assistance. Specific, small details of this situation would also make people less likely to help such as the fact that he’s sitting (if he were standing and ready to jump off it would be very different), and that he’s over a river (sitting on the edge of a tall building with only pavement at the bottom would make it seem a lot more serious). When a life is possibly at stake though, there are always people who beat the bystander effect and take action anyways. If someone in the crowd happens to have some sort of experience with suicide, such as a family member or friend, or even themselves at one point, it would definitely make them more likely to help. And, of course, if someone knew him, they would definitely be more concerned and want to help in any way possible.

LC Exercise #2 Part 2: The Appreciation Project

School:
-I love learning

-I’m surrounded by people who also enjoy learning

-Makes me smarter!

-Have friends there (who I originally met through school)

-Opens up so many opportunities (possibly better college and job!)

-We’re a Blue Ribbon School!

-We have an incredibly diverse community

-Some people don’t get to have an education (think child labor!- or child soldiers!)

-In many countries girls are often denied schooling

-Just being literate is an advantage we don’t even realize!

-All the homework and tests and bad teachers are not really a big deal at all in the scheme of things

-This year I have all really good teachers

-The amount of work we have could be much worse (we value social lives, extracurricular activities, and creativity much more than many other countries)

Family:

-They love me no matter what

-I’m almost never bored or lonely with my sisters around

-I can be extremely weird around them and they’ll still like me!

-My parents try to give me everything and just want the best for me

-My mom is always there to listen to me

-Even when I’m not nice to them, they’re still nice to me!

-My sisters look up to me and my parents are proud of me no matter what

-My parents drive me everywhere, pay for basically everything, and take care of me constantly

-Everyone’s healthy!

-Some people don’t have siblings (some can’t have siblings! One Child Policy!)

-Some people don’t have parents!!

-I am who I am mostly because of them!

-Even though we fight, we always forgive each other eventually

Listing out why these things are so great and how lucky I am to have them definitely helped me appreciate them more fully. Especially when it comes to school, I don’t think I’ll enjoy it any more than I normally do, but I definitely won’t be complaining nearly as much. It really got me thinking about all the kids who are just struggling to survive and don’t even have time to think about getting an education, while I’m stressing out over how much homework I still have to do because I decided to go out instead of writing my lab report! It’s really insane when you think about it. 99.9% of the stuff I complain about is pretty trivial, and I’m extremely fortunate to have those things be the worst of my problems.

When it came to the family portion of this exercise though, pathetically, I had a huge fight with my parents the same night I wrote this. Although the fight was over the dumbest thing, I seriously felt like I hated them in the moment- but the next morning it was like it never even happened and everything was fine again. So that is why the last bullet point was written. It’s pretty unrealistic for me to think I’m going to try so much harder to get along with them and that we’ll never fight. In the moment I did actually think about all the things I wrote, but I still continued to fight with them anyways. It wasn’t until the next day that thinking about all the good things was actually able to change my mood. So believe me, I tried, but it was sadly unsuccessful; the small things still got to me. On a regular day though when I’m not in a terrible mood, or when we’re having a nice family moment, I think I’ll stop and appreciate it a little more than I normally would- it just won’t prevent me from getting into that terrible mood..

I liked this exercise because normally I’m the type of person who, when I’m really upset about something, will actually list out all the bad things about it (not because I’m pessimistic, but more just because writing out lists makes me so much less stressed; it’s just a way for me to organize my thoughts). This is the opposite, and is much more positive and productive. And although it may only prevent me from getting annoyed at some things, it is still just nice to have as a reminder when I do succumb to those negative emotions. The next time I start to complain about having to stay up late to study for a test, I’ll try to be thankful that I have a test to complain about! It really only means that the school system and the government actually care about my progress and want to make sure I’m really learning- it’s not designed to purposely give kids panic attacks. If that’s all we have to worry about, then that’s actually pretty wonderful.

In class we learned how much just being grateful increases people’s happiness levels, and this exercise definitely proves that to be true. If I said this made such a huge difference in my life and that everything’s changed now, I would be lying, but just making the effort to appreciate something fully certainly does have an effect on your happiness levels because it helps to eliminate the negative emotions that bring that level down. In short, being thankful will not make you a million times happier, but it is the answer to being content!

LC Exercise #2 Part 1: My "Legacy"

Everyone wants to be remembered for generations to come as someone historically significant like George Washington or Mother Teresa or the Beatles!- but most people go completely forgotten. The sad truth is that it’s not realistic for anyone to think that their life will have any meaning to anyone in the future. No one really has much of a legacy. I would hope though, that my friends and family would remember me as something special. And I also hope that I have made, and will continue to make, a difference in other people’s lives, however small and unnoticed that difference may be.

So far I feel like I haven’t accomplished a whole lot; I haven’t made any important choices, and I haven’t done anything all that extraordinary. In the future though, I want to be known as someone who has really lived. I want to experience a million different things- try skydiving, ride on an elephant, drive coast to coast across America, etc.! And I want to travel literally everywhere and maybe eventually work for an international aid organization. And although I have done more in my short sixteen years of life than most, there’s still so much more to come. It all still seems so far in the future, so I really don’t think my legacy has been created yet.

I’d hope that people wouldn’t just remember me as a good person, but as someone a little more out of the ordinary. As for my personal strengths, I think the people who really know me would maybe say creative, able to speak my mind, and extremely dedicated to whatever I decide to do. Standing up for what is wrong is really important to me. I’m a pretty flexible and adaptable person, but I’m always questioning things, and there’s always a point when I know it’s time to take action or speak up. Not compromising your identity to please others is another belief I stand for. I may be a little weird and shy and awkward, but who cares? I really hope the ones who don’t care about that, but care about me, remember me for all those things.

Once again though, I don’t really see any of that as worthy of being called a “legacy”- I feel like to have a legacy, you’d have to be much more outstanding than that and as out of the ordinary as I’d like to be, I know I’m still pretty ordinary. Maybe I’m just uncomfortable with the actual word “legacy” because it seems so big and important- I think a better term would just be “how you want/are going to be remembered”. For that, I would probably have to respond with slightly unusual- in both the good and bad senses of the word- exploratory, and passionate about life, whereas for “legacy”, I would probably say nothing!

In the future I want to be happy- not very original, I know. I want to be content with who I am and what I’ve done, but never satisfied, so I can continue to strive for more (in a good way, of course!). It’s not about success, but it’s about constantly setting (reachable) goals. I just want to continue to be adventure thirsty. I want to be wise, and influential! And, even if only miniscule, able to create positive change. Is being happy a legacy though? Of that I’m not so sure. But I guess if you’re truly happy, your legacy wouldn’t really matter all that much to you anyways.