The main topic for discussion in our previous class was “roles”. There are many different roles that a person plays throughout his/her life. These roles may be at work, home or among friends. The professor had the class do an exercise that I was honestly not interested in at first, but as I did it I begin to understand the reasoning behind it. The idea behind the exercise was for me to point out and understand the different roles I play in my life. Then I was to think about what these roles meant to me and which ones I would rather live without. I went into this exercise thinking that the only role I have in my life involves taking care of myself; But I soon realized that this was not the truth. After the exercise I realized that I have many different roles in my life that not only affect me but also the people close to me.
I was the second youngest in a family of five so I always was looking up to other people. I never had anybody looking up to me; as I got that changed. There are not many people that come from where I come from and make it to college, yet along graduate school. I am the first person in my family to even graduate college, in my generation anyway. Therefore I have a lot of people, not just family members, looking up to me. Over the past few years I have taken on the role as “role model” without even knowing it. Many of the people close to me look at me as an inspiration. We all come from the same place, so if I can succeed it gives them hope that they can do the same. I feel is it my duty to lead by example, not only for myself but for the people that look up to me as well. This is a very important role to me right now. If my success can motivate someone else to do the same than I would be happy.
The exercise also taught me some other things about myself. I realized that the majority of the roles I play in life benefit others much more than they benefit myself. That kind of caught me off guard because I’m not a selfish person, but I...