Psy 1100 Signature Assignment

Signature Assignment

For my signature assignment I have decided to discuss our chapter nine and ten discussion. The assignment was to Imagine that the person you are now, could go back and have a conversation with the person you were when you went through puberty and entered your adolescent years. What would you say? What advice would you give? What advice would you give to your own parents about how best to parent you through adolescence? I have decided to choose this particular assignment, because I could have really used someone other than my parents to talk to for advice.  I like to be that person for others and share my experiences with family or friends that are going through puberty, and need someone to talk to. I think it is important for adolescent kids to be able to have someone to talk to. Chances are they don’t want to talk to their own parents.

 When discussing this topic I am reminded of a country song from Brad Paisley called “Letter to me”. The opening lyrics of the song say “If I could write a letter to me
And send it back in time to myself at 17”. After hearing this song I often wondered what I would actually tell myself if I were able to go back in time. I know there would be so much to say. If I knew what I know now, I might not be the same person not having to go through what I did and learn the things I have.

After completing this assignment I have realized how far I have come from that point in my life, and how much I have changed as a person. I remember thinking several times while going through puberty that life was so hard and I didn’t know how I would ever make it though.

Now as an adult I realize that the issues that I once thought were devastating are nothing compared to the issues I have now. Now being married I can’t rely on mommy and daddy to get me through hard times and I need to figure out how to fix the problems as an adult. I am so grateful for that time in my life because I know if I hadn’t experienced all life’s ups and downs I would not be the person I am today. I know I still have a lot of growing as a person to do but that’s life and I know now I can make it through anything.

For the discussion assignment I had mentioned two major things that I would make sure to tell myself going through puberty. The first thing is body image and trying to impress others around me with dressing in the name brand clothes, painting my finger nails to match each outfit and saying and acting in strange ways to get others attention. The second is family I now know how important family is and how after high school basically the only friends you have are your family. Rather than being embarrassed by your family you should be proud to show people where you come from and who helped you become who you are.

I know that everyone experiences some sort of body image issues. Looking back I remember that I always wanted to be the girl (like on tv) that would walk into the room, and everyone stops and admires them. Ideally every girl at that age is probably thinking the same thing, and no one really pays any particular attention. I wish I could go back and tell myself not to waste time worrying about what I looked like every day, but focus more on school and the real person I wanted to be. Rather than arguing with my mom every time we would go shopping  about me needing to get Roxy t shirts I should have been worrying about what I was going to do my science project on. I know now that if I would have paid more attention in class and worrying less about passing notes to friends, I may have learned more useful information that I could use today.

 I have come to realize that after high school the only people who really care about you is your family. My dad always told me that friends will come and go in my life and the only thing that would stay constant was my family. I never believed him because of course I knew everything, and because I thought I would never have to separate from my friends. I’m here to say that my dad is a smart man and knew what he was talking about. Now that I am married I have a small group of close friends and I find myself wanting to be with my parents more often than I ever thought I would. My family is everything and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I know trying to explain that to that my adolescent self would be a nightmare but, I would at least try to explain that parents are there to help and if you just ask them for help believe it or not they will get you through rough times, such as puberty.

In the discussion I wrote “You will later understand that it’s the person inside that matters in life’. I know this is true because I judge a person by the way they treat others and if have a big heart. In life it’s not the name brand on your shirt but the size of your heart.