Personal Narrative: My Interview With Gaia Yi

When most people hear my full name , “Joann Botani," they automatically assume I'm Italian, but truth is I am actually Middle Eastern. From what I know my dad does have a little Italian in his blood but the name “Botani” actually comes from a city in Turkey. I come from an upper-middle class house hold and I have two younger siblings, a brother and a sister. Being the oldest has its challenges because there is so much expected from me whether it is school, work or social life. I tend to think my younger siblings have it easier because I am the one who pushes the boundaries with my parents and because of that my siblings usually get to do what ever the want because it is not as extreme as what I do. It has always been easy for my younger sister because she is the “princess” of the house but I am my dad’s favorite while my brother is a momma’s boy. My family is very competitive when it comes to school and grades, my little brother and I were always duking it out

At the start of the new school year, Millicent Arnold, a typical teenage girl, receives an invitation to join the elite and exclusive girls’ sorority at Lansing High School. Before she becomes an official member however, Millicent must demonstrate she is fit to join the sorority by finishing the initiation process: a series of ridiculous and rigorous tasks that pushes her to her limits. During a mission, Millicent discovers the nasty truth and reality of the “prefect” sorority at her high school, and ultimately decides that being herself is most important and rejects entering the sorority altogether.

Speakers. However, I did feel some may have been there because they were famous, but nevertheless still gave insight to networking.

The day I met Marienel was the day after I had just started my second year of high school. During that time I had just been accepted into the Upward Bound Migrant program. UBM is an educational program used in order to help students be prepared for college. The students in it were expected to meet with their new counselor, which is part of the UB program and hold meetings on how the student could become more efficient in their studies in order for them to attend the university of their choice. At that time I wasn’t too excited about

I got back from Hawaii late on Friday, it was a long series of travel and at the time I was exhausted. Both flights had complementary movies,The best of all was my second flight from seattle to Minneapolis, the airliner was an older 757-200. The rear of the headrest in front of you had a touch screen with free tv shows. However days earlier I was in Maui, the first day was when we went the Lao Valley state park, it was relatively small and we forged through the paths quickly, only stopping every few feet to take a picture. The rest of the day was spent getting food items for out hotel room with a kitchen. Cooking in the room would reduce eating out and ultimately reduce cost. “Holiday on a budget” my mother would continuously say, However

Lauren Rezac- My weekend did not really start off to exciting. Right after my Fast-Pitch game I was picked up by my dad in our 1962 jeep. When we got home we had supper and we all stayed up for a little bit and went to bed. On Saturday I had the house to myself, my dad was helping our neighbors while my mom and sister were in ST.Cloud.So When I was at home I was pretty bored so I did what most bored kids I know would do turn up the music and make a little mess, basically I made slime. When mom and Alexis came back my sister got a call from my dad to go help out so I went with her.I helped by steering the tractor when she got bored and she did the speed and stuff like that. On Sunday we gave mom her gifts then we got ready to trapshooting me

I never thought I would be labeled an outsider, a misfit even. As I trudged my way through the halls of my small town high school, I would endure the gazing pairs of eyes, that belonged to my peers, followed by whispering and often times some laughter. I always used zone out during those repetitive speeches and commercials about the effects of gossiping and rumors; never did I imagine that one day I would be on the receiving end of of the everyday potshot. Growing up I was always the center of attention, the one everyone yearned to be friends with, never was I the antisocial child in the corner with nowhere to turn… not until high school. They say high school changes you. They say high school accounts for some of the greatest years of

Who am I? I am Liliana Walker. I am a tactile learner. I am a three on the 4MAT scale. On color tests, I am red. I am a leader. This is who I am. I am a tactile learner because I learn by movement. It is commonly known for tactile learners to not be able to sit still for long periods of time, and have typically good, if not great athletic skills. I love to work with my hands, to take things apart and put them back together, no matter the object. Within the multiple color tests I have taken in the past, my results read that I am red. The description for red, was a natural leader. I love to lead others, to be a leader in any way possible. Although I prefer to work alone on most if not all projects, if I get the chance to lead others or to help them, I will jump at the chance. Other descriptions for the result red, is that I tend to be blunt, direct, and typically rude. I tend to be bossy at times, even

On Saturday, I had the chance to attend the recital of Antonio “Nio” Ajero at the Cole Concert Hall on campus. It was an interesting and unforgettable experience, Nio, is a young boy with impeccable talent. I didn’t really know what to expect when I decided to attend the event since I had never even been to a piano recital for anyone, especially not one for a child. As the Hall began to fill, the lights dimmed and Nio, greeted the audience with a bow, his father was also there. When he started playing it was a harmonious feeling that filled the air, he played with such emotion. He seemed to become one with the piano, they seemed to morph into one soul. At this point in the show I was already in shock that a child could play the piano that well

I’ve always been an outsider, it’s been hard for me to build friendships and relationships. Not too long ago, there I sat in the corner of the room in the way back, trying to hide from the world, and be myself. I didn’t really want to get involved with anything or anyone. I was afraid to open up, talk to others, maybe because I was afraid to get rejected. Until, I met the best people I could ever meet, my best friends Marisa Mendoza, Jessica Contreras and Deseray Reyes, the ones who up to this day have sticked by my side, at my best, and worst moments. They have all been a big part of my life, I can enjoy every minute I spend with them. For me, they aren’t only my friends they are like my sisters.

When the doors open to the first house you visit, it’s extremely overwhelming. The loud, obnoxious songs, preppy, color coordinated matching outfits and outrageously white smiles make your heart sink into your chest. Thoughts begin to run through your mind and you start to wonder if these girls are like you, if you fit in, if you are “pretty” enough to be there, if you will be memorable. Flashbacks of people telling you that rush week is the most important week of your life and that the stereotype of whatever sorority you decide on will soon define you start to flow. Now you’re thinking about how you can make the “biggest decision of your life” based on short visits to various houses, house reputations, misconceptions and stereotypes that you’ve heard, and forced 5 minute conversations. You are apart of the 13% of University of Central Florida students who are actually interested in Greek life and decided to rush a sorority. The other 87% of non-Greek students let the misconceptions of Greek

I had the opportunity to interview a colleague of mine Brenda, who is a teacher in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing department at our school. Brenda herself is Deaf and was raised by Deaf parents, which benefited her greatly. She began at the Institute for the Deaf and Blind, now known as Montana School for the Deaf and Blind, from preschool to tenth grade. Brenda told me that by the time she had become a tenth grader the school district in Montana was more willing to accept a student who was Deaf. Before this time without the proper legislation like the IDEA law, school districts did not have provide free and appropriate education. Even though she was permitted to attend a mainstream high school, she only took elective type classes. She said that

Last semester, I was a new member of the sorority Alpha Phi, prior to its dismissal from our campus. Following the removal of Alpha Phi and the press release of an article that discussed the removal of the sorority, my fellow new members and I faced a significant amount of slander and exclusion from our classmates and other greek life members. Despite the disrespectful comments and unwelcoming environment on the campus in which I had grown to love, I found reassurance in the support of the 29 other freshman and sophomore girls in my pledge class. This group of young women united to be the rock each other needed at a time when no one knew the facts of what was occurring. The compassion I felt from these young women who I had just been introduced

I find myself struggling most during my adolescents, specifically on what I should do with my life and how. I relate heavily with Jin-Sang’s story, I grew up and identity in a Vietnamese household, the stereotype tends to be that Asian household have high expectation of their children academically and will do anything for them to achieve high successful career. Unfortunately, during my childhood and teenage years they had built this system onto me to lean towards a medical career in order to be successful. Their expectations have been more lenient by blanketing the term by suggesting they just wanted me to get a stable career so I can sustain living on my own, but I can still feel the pressure of them still desiring me to choose a successful career path that I do not want. Like

Peair is her name. We have known each other since 2010. The first question that I asked her is “Have you been here before?” the reason I asked this question was because I just wanted to know whether she was familiar with the University or not. She answered me “This is my first time here”. I don’t know why I feel like a little girl, but I just wanted to know her very well at that moment. Peair introduced herself to me. She said that she was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, but she moved to other city when she was 2 years old. Additionally, She moved back to Bangkok when she turned 5 years old, so she has studied in Bangkok since then. She is older than me by almost 2 years, but she becomes my junior. Peair has traveled to many countries