All About Me

Usually it isn't about me...I like to blend into the background and watch (or read) from afar. Unfortunately, this paper dictates that I have to do something totally out of my comfort zone and that's work with other people.  It's not that I don't have an opinion or two, we all do but normally I voice it to my husband who tends to be quite black and white logically (I think just to irk the ba-jeebers out of me), and somehow bring my soap box standing to a screaming halt.

I started this BSc in 2009 with one psychology paper which I loved immensely.  I was 37, married with three kids and came from Christchurch, my beloved and now 'munted' hometown.  Little did I know that 7 years later I would still be doing this degree, albeit (hopefully) my last paper towards that degree.  I wanted to study psychology because I wanted to make a difference.  I feel a great empathy toward the oppressed and the broken, the underdogs that no-one wants to know about. I want to make a difference in people's lives and ideally, make the world a better place for my children.  Idealism at its greatest aye?

I've never been a particularly good scholar, I'm not particularly eloquent, nor do I have an extensive vocabulary.  For these reasons, I am scared witless about doing this paper.  I do not want to let anyone down and I will do my utmost not to.  I'm full of good ideas, or maybe it's full of something else... Who knows, I might not get rated as a disaster from my team members but rather a valuable member of the group.

When I have finished this degree, I would like to work with those who have experienced domestic violence. I was witness to it as a child and would like to help lessen the emotional burden these families, particularly the children, experience.  As a similar alternative, I would like to work with suicidal youth in some capacity.  I think our world is letting our children down and there has to be some real person-centred policies put into place so there can be some accountability for youth mental well-being.  

To be perfectly honest, I probably would not have taken this paper had it not been compulsory, and I know that I am likely to gain the skills I should have acquired at the beginning of my degree.  It will definitely bring me out of my comfort zone and push me to learn more about myself and my capabilities.  I am a neither weak nor strong communicator generally but can actively debate if I know my audience and my topic, my husband might use the word - argue but if I know what is expected of me and I am well organised I can usually nut it out okay.

I look forward to working with you, my team members and am grateful we found our team so early in the piece.

Marina :)