Who am I? I am a girl. I am a basketball player. I am a photographer. I am a hard worker. I am a student leader. I am ambitious. I like to read. I like to go shopping. I like to babysit. I like to be in charge.  As you can see I am a mixture of a lot of different things. At Milton High School, I participate in basketball, I am joining the Best Buddies club this year and I am a part in the Student Leaders Program. I adore being part of a team in basketball because I delight in leading the team in stretches and in drills. The decision to join the Best Buddies club was because I like trying new things and meeting new people. Over the summer I received a letter admitting me into the Student Leaders Program and I was extremely excited to be working with the freshmen and being seen as a real leader. Also trying my best in school is important to me because I want to succeed.

            Aside from my involvement in the school, I have other interests and hobbies. Just like any typical girl I love to shop. If I could do it every day, I would. Photography is my full time hobby even though I love shopping. The kinds of pictures I enjoy taking are either of my friends or of places that I been. One day I hope to travel the world and take pictures of all the different people and cultures there are in other parts of the world. As for a job, I babysit and am currently trying to get a part time job. 

 I am caring and are always put others before me. If someone needs my help I will stop whatever what I am doing to help them, I am the type of person who needs to work hard at everything I do. Things don’t always come naturally to me like they do with other people. I am a hard, ambitious and committed worker who will not give up until I have lived to my full potential. This is who I am.

At the beginning of every school year teachers assign my most hated writing piece, the cliché, “Who are you”. Whether it’s because I’m shy or because it becomes a thin list of accomplishments, I always dread filling out the who you are questioners. I have found that for most teachers my name and a couple activities usually suffice; Emma Heller, student-athlete, older sister, artist and friend.

These labels are important because they show the activities we dedicate most of our lives to. They might not fully describe who we are, but they do influence our decisions, shaping who we end up being. As a rower, I have discovered that I am not a quitter.

My hands scraped with bleeding blisters and a cramped calf muscle is worth the pain if we have a winning race. Yes, I’m competitive and I also love the feeling of a steady boat one where you can feel the force of the water underneath you, knowing all the power is from you. A truly winning race is one where you left everything you had in the boat and there is no doubt that you could have done better.

Dedication is probably one of the reasons I’m writing this at four am. I have found that homework is best completed during the hours of three to six. Unusual as most teenagers love to sleep in, but after a practice I’m too exhausted to fumble through my thoughts and usually end up falling asleep and getting up early to study. I work well under the pressure; the time crunch before school starts is a race. I can work in peace and quiet, as the rest of my family sleeps, getting my best ideas with out any disruptions. My favorite thing about early mornings is the sunrise. I often stop working and being a semi artist, take out my camera or colored pencils for a quick sketch. It also reminds me of how many other people are watching that same sun. There is a whole world to discover who we are and they do not ask about you; instead you must show them.

If I thought that my name implied any of things that make me, I would stop after the next sentence. I'm Josh Kery. But I know, and you know (We are all unashamed of our denial.) that a handful of adjectives doesn't leave you with a complete idea of who I am. They are trivial: the type of information I dish out to my Intro to Computer Science teacher when she asks me what my favorite type of food is. AP has higher expectations. So I deny knowing who I am, and I deny your right to know the answer, and I deny that the question is valid at all. I knew well that I was a whole greater than the sum of its parts before I even knew that it was Aristotle who phrased it that way; I am grasping at that "greater-than" part, and I know that I'm not alone.

I do have trouble identifying what those parts are. My favorite type of food stumped me. Today, I guess it's Fettucini Alfredo. Tomorrow, I don't know; I reserve the right to change my answer. I recognize that if my opinion changes I have changed with it. Today, answering this question has me characterizing myself like I was dissecting some misguided family member from As I Lay Dying. I draw, I paint, I've explored with sculpture (but maybe that's a bit too personal), I write, I read, I keep my grades up, I have two siblings, I sound like everybody else, I listen to music, I exercise, and I travel. My friends each share more than a few of those similarities. You know how I think, and as for the part of me that is made of what you think, I do not know. From that, call me creative, hardworking, loyal, thoughtfully devoted... Boil me down, and you can say, "he's one arrogant dude." The parts are there, but the system's missing.

Adjective. Adjective. Adjective. Adverb Adjective.

              I am ten toes, two eyes, one nose and one brain. I am two arms, two legs, two knees and 37.2 trillion cells. I am two ears, two hands, two feet and 206 bones. I am two ankles, two elbows, ten fingers and one mouth. I am one heart, two kidneys, one gallbladder and 108,000 hair follicles.

             What makes me human is my fully functioning body. What makes me an individual are my faults and discrepancies, my strengths and experiences. I like to think that I am more than just a human, and that I am an individual.

            As a person, I can range from overly emotional and just about insane to reserved and quiet. I struggle a lot with communicating to the people I care most about. Especially when I am stressed I become distant and lost in my own mind- neglecting to reach out to the people who would be able to help me. I am also very competitive and insistent on finishing something that I’ve started. Dealing with all of this is my mom, dad, sister and Nellie- my pet Chihuahua.

            Before high school, I never viewed myself as an athlete. I played soccer but struggled with making fast decisions- making me a benchwarmer. I ended up joining track because it seemed like a simple sport- putting one foot in front of the other. I’m glad I did because my short stature and passion for success made me a prime candidate to be a thriving long distance runner. My life is now engulfed by track. It has made me become a person who thrives off competition and is driven to win. I have also made so many amazing friends by joining track.

              Being a child of a photographer and a musician, art and music have always played a huge role in my life. Growing up, some of my best memories have been strumming guitars and drawing pictures. Even today I am still in love with anything that utilizes creativity. I enjoy creating all types of art but especially drawing and painting. Any of the extra time I have is spent at art classes. I also enjoy playing the bass guitar. The reason I love music so much is because it brings my family together. As often as we can, my dad and I enjoy “jamming” together with him on the guitar and me on the bass. Occasionally, my sister will join in on the banjo.

            Most importantly, I pride myself on being a caring family member. Even though I am quick to get aggravated by them, at the end of the day I am apologetic and always grateful for having them.

           

            

If someone were to ask me "Who are you?" I would say Taylor Avery. A girl who likes learning and making new friends. A girl who always runs with her mom. A girl who has the best family to love and comfort her. A girl who always talks to herself and dances around the house while listening to music. But I don’t think those will be the answers that that person would want. So, I would say, “I don’t know yet”. But this is what I know now. I have dedication, I don’t stop until I get what I want or do what I want. But sometimes I’m afraid to speak up because I think people might judge me or make fun of me. When I do speak I say the most ridiculous things that no one usually cares about. But what they don’t know is that the most ridiculous thing could be the smartest thing that person has every heard. I am unique and special. I want to overcome that fear of being ridiculed because I really am a fighter and a believer. I have been called negative things like selfish or stubborn but that’s just the “sometimes” me and I can’t change me. I try and fail but never fail at trying. So, honestly when people ask me this question I don’t know the answer to it because I don’t exactly know who I am yet. But I am learning. There are still years and years for me to live to actually figure out who I really am. I am just a 16-year-old girl now, naïve in this new world not knowing who anyone really is. I will discover who I really am; when I’m on my death bed about to say my last words. But if you want a straight forward answer right now, you’re going to get one. I am Taylor Avery, and I am me.

 

The writing book I read over the summer branded the idea into my mind that when faced with an assigned composition topic, the best way to start is to read up until one knows so much about it that he must have an opinion on the matter. Yet I am faced now with a subject on which I cannot read up, so it is likely that what you are about to read is not entirely accurate.

            The best way to describe Anne Marie is as a curious case whose adolescence is preventing her from fitting her piece into the puzzle that is society. She tolerantly tries to conform to high school masses with the belief that at the moment of graduation, her world will change and anything will be possible; that, as to reach Elysium one must follow the rules during life, to reach the scholarly equivalent one must follow the rules during high school. When asked, her friends might confide that Anne Marie’s mind seemingly consists of 1% reality and 99% dreams for the future. How true is this observation? Very.

            Outside of academics, Anne Marie is attracted to an astonishingly varied array of pastimes. She spends the majority of her vacations quenching her insatiable wanderlust, traveling with her family members to whichever destination currently piques her curiosity. Needless to say, Anne Marie’s future children have many stories to hear. In fact, her dreams for the future frequently involve just this sort of global travel. At home, though—while her head is not in the clouds—her interests include competitive badminton, fashion and costume design, drawing, and reading. Her passion for culture and history was the basis for her extensive ancient-coin collection (which she openly acknowledges to be geeky).

            Since no one can possibly know, beyond science, what goes on in Anne Marie’s mind that makes her who she is, this list is the farthest anyone can go to answer the highly-posed identity question. And since she does not plan to find her inner self through Buddhism or the like, not even Anne Marie knows who she is. Who can say what she would do if offered a test of morality? courage? compassion? Maybe time will tell.

When adults ask you the question, “Who are you?” they actually mean what are going to do with your life. Especially at this age we are supposed to know what we want, who we are, where we want to go, what we want to be and the list goes on forever it seems. Some of kids say they know who they are, but they are liars. Every day we learn more and more about the world. Then we transfer that information into our own brains, and how we process it, is different. We are learning who we are everyday. We are all made up of stuff: memories, experiences, emotions, secrets, problems, love, hate, organs.

When people ask me who I am, I often do not know where to start. There is so much too every single person, it is impossible to answer it in a single sentence. But I have to start somewhere so I will start at the beginning.

My name is Colette Nourie and I am a winter baby- born on February sixteenth 1998. Even when I was little I was a very humorous kid. I would always dress up and play different characters at dinner parties for the guests. My mom was embarrassed and my dad was too drunk to care. Personally I could not be bothered with what they thought of me, and I still do not until this day. I am who I am and if you do not like that, then it is your problem.

On a lighter note, I am a musician, a dancer and an actress. My dream is to attend Pace University in New York City and get a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts. From there I am going to audition for every Broadway show on the damn market and start living the life I was meant too. All my life I have wanted to get out. Get out my house; get out of Milton so I can experience life on the edge. For me, singing, acting and dancing gets me out of my comfort zone. I feel the most “myself” when I am performing.

Having this outlet has allowed me to discover what I am capable of doing if I really want something. I am confident, outgoing, intuitive and loving. It is hard for every one of to say who we are in one sentence. I gave you four hundred words.  

             The question "Who am I?" is a bit too general, in my opinion. I, with the utmost modesty, am practically everything. Even if it may be a bit of a stretch at times. For example, I may not be the best at sports, but I play them, so doesn't that make me an athlete? And I can barely play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on the piano, but that's enough to consider myself a musician. Right? I make music. Thus I am a musician. Nobody ever said you had to be good at it, or like it, to be it.
             Of course, there are several exceptions to this idea. For instance, I am male. I am categorized as a boy. But, I can be feminine, so, while it doesn't make me a girl, I can at least say that I am both masculine and feminine. Another example, I am white. That is my ethnicity. I can't change it, but that doesn't mean I can never eat dumplings and sushi just because I'm not Asian. Or that I will be sent to jail for wearing a sombrero and speaking Spanish even though I'm not Latino.
             To be honest, I don't want to answer this question with some adjectives and titles that really don't mean much, because, of course, I'm a student, and a son, and a friend. Hopefully, also, I'm kind, and creative, and thoughtful, but I don't want to be confined and restricted with these labels. I want to be everything. I want to experience all the things this world has to offer. I want to be unique but also universal.  I want to be able to go anywhere or go to anyone and have some connection with them. I don't just want to be "well-rounded," I want to be a sphere, a combination of everything. So that is who I am. I am athletic, musical, smart, funny, kind, honest, and creative, but I am also rude, insensitive, condescending, annoying, and lazy. I am optimistic. I am pessimistic. I am truthful. I am a liar. I am everything or, at least at one point or another, I will be. But above all else, I am Liam.

Who am I? The first thing that comes to mind, before anything, is I am a family guy. More than anything else that could define me. Any cliche you can think of, family first, family over everything; that is me. I would take on the world for my family, literally. With that being said I like to think of myself as unselfish. Along with that more often than not, I put people, not just family, in front of myself; I love to defend or protect or provide for anybody who needs it. I like helping and pleasing people. With all that said, I'm very laid back and relaxed most of the time and don't stress very easily.

Sports also define me as a person. Ball. Is. Life. There isn't a sport I don't enjoy. I'm very competitive and whatever sport I'm playing, I'm giving it my all. Two sports I especially enjoy are basketball and football. When I'm asked the question which I like better it's tough to respond, I love both so much. However football is just one season for me, the fall, and basketball is the rest of the year so if I must choose one I'd choose basketball. I was raised playing basketball and never in my life will I get tired of it. Due to my competitive nature anything I do, not just sports, I strive to do my best. I take pride in doing well and that really motivated me to be the hard working person that I am. Because of this I set high expectations for myself in anything I do and try my best to reach and exceed those expectations.

One last aspect that defines me is Martha's Vineyard. The vineyard is apart of me. I've been going to the vineyard every summer since I was born. My family currently owns two houses and a bed and breakfast on the island. My family's history on the island dates back as far as 6 generations, I believe as early as the late 1800s. The bed and breakfast we own, Shearer Cottage, was founded by my great great great grandfather Charles Shearer who originally opened it as a safe haven for the African Americans on the island who had no place to go. It is now a historical venue and a tourist attraction that still operates today. The vineyard and Shearer Cottage is a big part of me and who I am, my home away from home.

Who Am I?

          Questions like the one above, open ended and up to interpretation, can be rather difficult to answer. Physically, I am an athlete of relatively small stature with dirty blond hair and a caucasian complexion. Due to numerous business ventures on my mother's part and to school trips back in Malaysia, I have seen many things which other's may not be fortunate enough to witness themselves. I am lucky enough to come from a relatively well-off and open minded family, and am thusly quite open to new things.   

          Mentality, though, cannot be seen and is therefore difficult to pin point. With the most humble attempt to figure myself out as possible, I find that I am selectively introverted, well-meaning, and dedicated. Around those I feel a particular fondness for, a different set of characteristics emerge; goofy, compassionate, intense, the list goes on.  

          As with anyone, I do have less desirable qualities to my being, specifically my need to be liked by those I feel are worth getting to know. I like the questioning people, those a bit 'deeper' than the general public, and this tends to lead me into great but more tremulous relationships. To sum myself up, as one may say, I am a participant in school activities, in search of meaningfulness, and wanderlust is programmed into my being as much as my eye color. 

            “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose

            By any other word would smell as sweet”

            (Romeo and Juliet 2.2.46-47)

            Shakespeare makes it clearer than anyone else could: A name does nothing to define a person. For this reason, I refuse to waste any space writing my name. If you must know it, you are welcome to look at my Blogger username.

            As a 16 year old, most of me is potential. Currently I have a passion for playing and listening to music, primarily jazz, and rowing. Both of these are important to me (important is an understatement; My schedule centers around these two things.) but in the greater scope of my life, these mean very little. As I grow older, interests will blossom into passions and passions into careers and lifelong hobbies, but none of these things are static, so it is almost pointless to tell you about who I am at the moment. However I will say writing is one of my interests that I am excited to explore this school year.

            As an alternative, I prefer to share things about myself that won’t change. I am a male member of the species Homo sapiens. I was born in the fifth month of the year 1998 A.D. at approximately 42°14’50” N, 71°00’10” W and so far I have always lived within 6 miles of this location. I am a second-generation American with brown hair and blue eyes. Health wise, I am sound, except for my susceptibility to certain cancers later in life.

            If you remove specific locations and dates, you could find millions of people who share these qualities—I’m not arguing my individuality. The fact that I am no more significant than any of the other seven billion people on earth is a fact I have not only accepted, but a fact that I rarely mind. Being a human being in the first place is a miracle and I live each day happy that I have the ability to feel happiness.

Works Cited

             

·      Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat, Paul Werstine. Washington D.C. Folger Digital Texts

         In my humble opinion, “who are you?” is one of the most difficult questions a person can be asked. It is not a question that can be answered with a few succinct phrases, nor can it ever be answered completely. After all, people are constantly changing. The person I am today could be a stranger to the person I might be tomorrow. Right now, however, I am Audrey Erickson. I am sixteen (seventeen in a week) and a junior at Milton high school.  Like most people my age, I spend most of my time around my friends.  Being somewhat of an introvert, though, I also like having time to myself; be it to read, listen to music or just hang out and watch a movie.

       I can often be quiet or shy, especially around people I do not know, but that does not hurt my love for theatre and singing in the slightest. I have been acting for almost nine years and I have loved it for as long. It can be stressful or scary sometimes, but the thrill of facing that fear and performing in front of an audience as well as that of fully embracing a character is beyond description. I love being able to be part of an ensemble that can leave an audience roaring with laughter or holding back tears, depending on what we want them to feel. Theatre is a great opportunity to let myself be creative.

          As someone who loves being creative, I also do a lot of crafts. Though I would in no way call myself an artist (my drawing and painting skills are sorely lacking), I love picturing a project in my head and telling myself “I’m going to teach myself how to do that.” I have taught myself (with the help of google) to make stained glass pieces with sea glass, glass beads, and, most recently, notebooks. I find it very gratifying to teach myself to do things that I thought I wouldn't be able to do.

           Although I don’t always get things right in these projects- as well as other endeavors in my life- everything I attempt teaches me something new, and helps to turn me in to the person I will be the next time I try to answer this question. 

"Who are you?” It seems like an easy question to answer: Shannon FitzGerald. However, there are so many components that make up each person that the question leads to varying responses.  Most of us will say that we are juniors at Milton High School or that we are athletes or dancers or musicians, but these categories aren’t the only things that define us.   Most of us have talents that we don’t even know about, and dreams that maybe no one knows about us.  

I would describe myself as very ambitious but not necessarily certain what for.   My friends and my sisters know exactly what they want to have a career in: medicine, education, federal justice.  The fact that they all know what they want to do with their lives and I still have no idea is incredibly stressful, but it isn’t like I haven’t thought about it.  I’m always thinking about a career that would be something I’m good at and that would pay well.  I’m pretty good at math but going into finance or accounting sounds disgusting, so that is where I usually get stuck.  I feel that I am capable of doing anything I want if I put my mind to it; it would just be much easier if I knew what it was that I wanted.

My current life consists of playing field hockey and softball, which can be both fun and miserable.  Sports are not my favorite thing to do, but I do love to watch sports such as baseball and football.  Besides watching sports, I also watch way too much T.V. and have a high appreciation for movies.  Maybe someday I would like to work in the entertainment industry, but who knows.  Right now I am just trying to focus on school and sports, which together leaves little time for anything else.

How people depict themselves is often different from how they are truly perceived. When asked "who are you?" I squirm. Like most other 16 year olds I'm not exactly sure who I am. I do, however, know what defines me. My passions are varied and my moods unpredictable but these qualities identify me as Lydia Horan.

The most important role I play is a family member. I am a younger sister and horribly obnoxious daughter. If my parents were asked who I am they'd describe me as stubborn and confident. They'd tell you I'm extremely opinionated and will turn the simplest of conversations into heated discussions. My family would tell you I'm messy. I would tell you I’m simply developing my organizational skills.  

My interests range from economics to hamburgers to Project Runway. I could (and do) spend hours reading about current events and researching my debate topics. Public forum debate is one of my biggest passions. Terrez Deaibes, a good friend and former debate partner, would tell you that I am rarely happier than when I am standing in a debate round dismantling my opponent's arguments. As evil as it may sound, making people appear foolish in front of a judge thrills me. Whether we’re discussing Constitutional law or Instagram I thoroughly enjoy hearing other people’s opinions. This interest in other people encouraged me to get involved in student government. I have been class president for 2 years and it is a point of great pride for me. These two passions consume my time but as author Simon Sinek said, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.” 

Some random tidbits: I was born on April 21st, I love to drive despite having failed my permit test, I write with my left hand, toddlers frighten me, and I only take cold showers.

I am eager to learn from the inevitable mistakes I will make this year and better define who Lydia Horan really is. 

Who am I? When asked this question the first answer that immediately comes to mind is to say my name: Greta Freking. However, my name does not define who I am as a person, sister, student, or athlete. My name can only tell a person what to call me. Who I am is sixteen-year-old junior student-athlete at Milton High School. I am the person that seeks for the challenges in life in order to push myself to accomplish new goals. I am the person that looks forward to new opportunities and ideas that I hear and learn about from my peers. 

Who I am at home is the oldest of four kids. I am a daughter, a sister, and hopefully a role model to my three younger siblings. I am the daughter who helps and attends to my parent’s needs in order to keep the house at ease. I am the sister that most of the time is there for my siblings when they are feeling down or need advice. I am a family person. Family comes first in my eyes and I am the person who will do anything for my family.

Who I am at school and as an athlete are similar and go hand in hand with each other. Whether I am in school, kicking a soccer ball on the turf, or racing on the track, I am the person that puts my heart and soul into everything I do. If I do not accomplish something to the best of my ability it agitates me for days however, it only makes me more determined to improve. Who I am is the student that at times enjoys school while at other times cannot bear it. I am the student who always does their homework, studies for every test, but still counts down the minutes until the day ends. After school I am the athlete. Who I am as an athlete is dedicated and motivated to improve everyday I practice. There are always ways to develop as an athlete and in my mind practice does make perfect.

Who I am is a caring, entertaining, and social sixteen-year-old high school student who wants to make it home everyday knowing that I did everything I possibly could do to make the most of my day. Life is too short to worry about the little things.