Living With Others

Describe a time when you lived with others (outside of your family). Describe your role in that living situation. What do you know about yourself and how you relate to others in groups?

Honestly, living here in the dorms at Santa Clara is my first time actually living with people outside of my family. I was a little hesitant at first too, because it meant that I had to step outside the comfort of my family who accept me regardless and enter into a whole new world I was completely unfamiliar with. Once getting past the initial first meeting awkwardness, me and my suitemates all got pretty close.

My role in this living situation would be almost that of a mother. I tend to be the sensible one who picks up after “the boys” and whatnot. But what also comes with that role is a dependence on me for more than just cleanliness. Whenever anything is wrong or the guys in the suite have a question, they come to me, because they know if I don’t have an answer I will do my best to find it out for them. Not only that but I have become the kind of “therapist” for the suite. Got something to say? Head on over to Joey’s room because he is always more than willing to listen and offer whatever he can.

What I know about myself and groups in this situation is that I am a lot more responsible and capable then I give myself credit for. Living at home I had always relied on my family and those around me, but being relied upon is an eye-opening and necessary experience.

Groups have always been a place where I flourished. I find myself most comfortable and at home within groups because not only can I relate to others, but I can understand and appreciate differences. Being a founding member of The HoBo Project, a youth run non-profit organization, really helped me hone my group skills and truly embrace groups as a welcoming place for all kinds of work. In all honesty, I prefer working in groups rather than by myself because I get to see how others work and operate and gain so many new insights from these experiences. When I was in HoBo Project, almost nothing was done alone. We were a solid group that knew we all needed each other in every aspect of the organization because we were the organization.