Personal Narrative: Chasing Normal

People will judge others solely based on their physical appearances. In the short story, “The Story of my body,” the author, Judith Ortiz Cofer comes to relations with this. She describes how she was victim of judgment because she was a kid whom looked different than most American kids. Ortiz Cofer tried to change everything about who she really is just to get by for the day without being judged. She was labled different, all she ever wanted to do was to be like everyone else. This eventually led to her being depressed. Within the story, Oritz Cofer describes how terrible she was treated due to her Puerto Rican heritage and skin color, and how she would never be able to fit in.

At 6 years old, I only had the word “poofy” to describe my hair. With no time to spare on my unmanageable mane, my mother would brush-dry curls into pigtails, creating a frizzy mess. In school I learned to apologize because my hair was in the way of those sitting behind me. I did not look like the White girls with their straight hair, yet I did not look like the Black girls with their coarser curls and relaxed styles. I learned to view myself through my hair, and since no one else reflected my image, I never saw myself.

Of course the norm for me is that of any citizen living in zone three.

When I was young my Dad would always remind me of how important these years as a kid are. He would always say watch how you act as a kid, for it will set the stage for the rest of your life. So many people I know ruined their lives when they were kids. This small, yet so important statement runs through my mind everyday. I love how everyone says they don’t care what people think of them, but I wish they knew how important it is to have a good image. I am not perfect, but I would like to be close as possible. But as Salvador Dali said “Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it. “ The problem I see is everyone wanting to be someone that they are not. Sure, we all have our idols that we look

I chose to break the norm of either smiling at strangers or giving them a neutral look when you make eye contact. I decided to give every stranger I passed a confused look like they had just spoken to me in another language. I must admit, this made me feel a bit goofy. I was on the fence as to whether or not to do this in the first place but I decided I just had to. The responses I received were quite comical. A few people asked if I was alright, and one person even asked if I had a problem with them.

It was my first time going geese hunting with a shotgun. I was really nervous to going because my uncle and my grandpa are really good at it. They go every weekend and more than half of the time they get their lemont. Also I was very excited to go just growing up going and always watching them going hunting with guns and i always watched. I was getting tired of it. I thought it was time for me to have a gun and on more messing around as much

Society, especially western, conceptualizes beauty through the use of publicity and cinema. We are under constant bombardment from consumer related magazine ads, billboards, television commercials, and movies about what “beautiful” people look like and how we should imitate them. This standard is overwhelmingly portrayed as white beauty. Starting from a young age this standard of beauty is forged in our minds; we want to look like these actors and models; we want to be thin, fit, youthful looking, have a symmetrical face and possibly even posses a particular race. We accept this beauty standard; we notice our various faults among ourselves and self-critique. We try to emulate the models as best we can and we fail to realize that these

When I had first arrived at the program, I wrote to Carlos thinking that it would be worth trying to get my parents to hand off my letters to him. They did a few times. One day during group therapy, Norm paced around the outskirts of the circle we were in. He stopped, studied his feet, and crossed his arms around his back.

The word normal doesn’t apply to someone that’s terrified to throw a gum wrapper in the trashcan. It was a ten-step journey that could transform my life forever. To step out of my chair and making it back safely as if a demon was chasing me seemed simple to others, but mentally draining for me. In order to accomplish my mission, I thought out the steps in my head.

The first day of school for me was the same as juniors, “I paused a second time at the door and walked inside.Everyone,all the students and teachers,stopped to stare at me”(58). When I walked in to my new school I felt uncomfortable and everyone eyes were on me.At first I didnt know why but as I looked around the room,I realized why. I felt out of placed, my skin color was the only thing people noticed about me,I Looked different from everyone else. I didn't have colored eyes,colored hair or long silky hair,I was just me an African girl with dark eyes,dark skin and dark kinky hair.The move was especially hard for me.Everything was different in America,making friends was especially hard because I didn't speak their language and no one even bothered to talk to me, I felt alone just like Junior.

Fortunately my extensive hours of travel to and from hockey gave me more than ample time to reflect on my situation. I confronted the fact that I was chasing perfection in each individual area of my life, instead of perusing consistency across all fronts. Some days I’d focus solely on School and throw hockey aside, and vice versa. I wanted to attain 100% in every aspect. I gave into that nagging feeling that things can be better, and chased after it aimlessly. In hindsight I realized that I set a barometer for myself that had no bounds, no structure. By implementing the pursuit of consistency instead of perfection, I developed a framework for measuring my output and achievement. I learned that my life functions better in a system of sustainability,

Waking up in the morning going to school was a normal everyday thing, just a normal day of life for a 7th grader. I finally arrived home; it was confusing seeing my dad’s car home. It was silent you could hear a pen hit the floor. I go up stairs to see my dad past out on the floor. I froze, and I run towards my dad hoping he was sleeping. When I’m sitting in front of him his breathing was shallow. I try to wake him up, but at first he does not move and then I see his eyes open. I scramble, and try to find my phone to call the police. The lady on the phone ask many so questions in such a short period I could think of the words to answer. After I hang up there is another long silence. Then I hear a siren getting louder and louder as it pulls

Waking up, knowing the day was going to be the same, Elizabeth or Liz for short, was ready to go to school. Doing the same routines every day of school: waking up at 8:15, take a 10 minute shower, get dressed up, brush her teeth, do her hair, eat breakfast, walk out of her apartment, drive to school, and hang out with her friends until the bell rang at 9:15. Liz started the second semester in 11th grade, but now she has been in school for 2 months.

I first experienced this title last year via a demo of the first episode. I assumed I would like it based on that, but I didn't realize how the game would pull me in, nor that it had the potential to become my favorite game of the year.

Here comes high school’s senior year. All the stress accompanying deadlines, standardized tests, and deciding my future, has arrived. After being able to maintain efficient grades throughout my high school career, I am faced with my greatest obstacle yet. I must choose my next destination from thousands of colleges. First, I ought to narrow my options. Knowing, although not completely confident, that I will major in computer engineering, I start to search deeper for colleges that offer this program. Wanting to stay close to home, I cross out colleges based on distance. Believing that my biggest motivation is getting the best education, I delve deeper into my research and start to find top rated colleges. I finally