A major aspect of the college life is growing up on your own and discovering whom you are. Last week I was challenged to come up with the best way to say I was unique in a short essay for study abroad. The point of this essay was to show the people that would interview me that I was a unique individual, just like everybody else. It was at this time that I became acutely aware of how much one word can tell about you.
We read in our Theory Toolbox about how labels affect a subject. In this case, I was the subject and I needed to find as many labels that set me apart. I started by I was nice, easy to talk to, and out going. I found, however, that this seemed like the go to answer whenever it comes to describing yourself to someone you haven’t met yet. I then decided to take another course. Describing myself as adventurous, easy going, and funny. Well this just opened up a whole new can of worms.
These words all have preconceived notions with them. “Adventurous”, is a word that makes me think of deep-sea spear fishing, base-jumping off the Washington Monument, or spelunking on asteroids. While I do love to travel does that count as being adventurous? Furthermore, if it turns out I’m really not that adventurous I am not left with a diminishing character for lying on an application. Now, looking at the words “easy going” there are many ways this can be perceived. When I hear the phrase easy going I assume that the person is light hearted, easy to talk to, and probably doesn’t get that emotional over trivial things. I can see, however, how easy going can come off as being lazy, dethatched. Finally let’s look at funny. You feel like you can’t go wrong by saying that you are funny but it puts a lot of pressure on you if you tell people you are funny and then cannot deliver. Plus there are many types of funny. Which funny am I? Am I the guy that just cracks red neck jokes whenever I see a guy wearing cowboy boots? Am I the silent type who is just very good with one-liners?
It is because of the way that words can label us, group us together, or set us apart that I spent a good deal of time deciding what words to use when describing myself. I am the subject of my own inability to describe myself. I am a product of what I have done and what I plan to do. Finally I decided to just go with it, I would use what ever words to describe myself as I damn well pleased, and let them make their own labels to stick on me.
I really liked this post! I also had to describe myself for my study abroad application and I feel like that is always the most awkward question to answer. I would rather ask one of my friends what I am than come up with it myself. It's different when you talk about yourself because it becomes more like how you wish to be described. I did the same thing as you, threw a few adjectives out there and hoped for the best!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this not only because all of us as humans kind of think about this stuff, but the real, raw, and humorous points you bring up made it a good read. I like how you took the theory tool box reading and incorporated it with real life situations.
ReplyDeleteI agree that its really hard to sum everything that makes you up on an application like that. There is just no way that you can "label" yourself and still convey to the person reading your application who you are. As you highlighted really well, words like "adventurous" which might make us look good on an application, can be taken any number of different ways.
ReplyDeleteIt is so difficult coming up with words to describe yourself, because like you said, they can have such different meanings. I find it easier to explain a situation and how I would handle it rather than using words that are vague and confusing like light-hearted or adventurous. Great post!
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