Personal Cultural Artifacts

This is a picture of me and my little sister. I am so blessed to called her my best friend.  

Scripture study and prayer is very important to me. It's the foundation of learning truth. 

I love running. I always have goals that I can work on. Running 5K races have become a hobby for me. 

Baking is one of my favorite hobbies. I use to bake with my Grandma when I was little. Cupcakes are my specialty. 

I'm from Chicago. Deep dish pizza is one of the best things that was ever created. So good! 

Chicken wings are my favorite food. Buffalo wings with ranch and bleu cheese is a win-win situation. 

My cowboy boots are one of my favorite pair of shoes. I often wear them with dresses to church. It's a country thing. 

I always have a blast when I'm at a dance. In high school I practically went to every school dance. It's fun to just let loose and have fun. 

I love hiking. It's great to just be in nature without the busyness of life. I use to go hiking with my dad when I was younger.

I live in the library. It's my study spot and I am the most productive when I am here. 

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love the gospel and the blessings that come from it.

I live by a planner. If it's not scheduled in my planner it will not get done. 

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Soccer is one of my favorite sports. I've played it for 8 years and it has taught me how to not be afraid and go for what I want. In the game that means going for the goal and in life that means following my dreams. 

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is the only show I practically watch. It's so intense!
"In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous.
In New York City the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories." 

It's a family tradition at my house to buy a real Christmas tree every year and finish decorating it with tinsel. 

My family loves to travel. It's such a great experience and I have so many awesome memories. My favorite was London, England and Paris, France. 

I joined orchestra when I was in 4th grade. I chose the viola and it's still my favorite. Orchestra has taught me so much about hard work, dedication, and commitment.  

I'm English on my mom's side and every Christmas we make Yorkshire pudding. It's fantastic. 

I love going to be early. I need about 8 hours of sleep per night to function in the morning. I am normally in bed by 10:30pm and up by 6:30am the next morning.

I am a student manager at the Cannon Center. It's not the easiest job but the people are great. I love working hard.

     

Reflection:                                                                                                                     

My culture is very much based on the lifestyle I obtained as I grew up. My family has always been a huge influence on my life and were always very supportive of me pursing my passion. My family has many traditions and hobbies that we participated in as a family. I've also been very dedicated to my religion. I've always been involved in a variety of hobbies, sports, and activities because my mom wanted to make sure I could do everything I wanted to within reason. A majority of my culture also comes from things that are my "favorites."  Some of my "favorites" were TV shows, foods, and habits. 

      My culture can serve as a help in a school setting because I've been involved in a variety of activities and hobbies which can make me a more well rounded teacher because of my varying interests. I also know what it means to work hard and be dedicated because of my culture which can be very helpful in teaching students to have a good work ethic. My culture can also be a hindrance because I have been so strongly influenced by my family that if students do not have good family ties it might be more difficult for me to understand their situation. In general anytime people have differences it is harder to relate to one another, but not impossible. Some of my interests are more narrowed instead of broad which some students might not relate as well as if they had more in common with me.