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8.1- Rite of Passage
I was raised a catholic. Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation, and then I stopped by choice. I remember the First Communion being a big deal in the Roman Catholic tradition, being able to accept the Eucharist for the first time, and having a pretty white dress with a flower band veil. I barely remember the ceremony, but I remember feeling pretty and being so excited for finally being able to do a "grown-up" thing. -
6.3-intimacy/affection
There was a girl that I knew and was in the same circle of friends as me. I came to learn that her mother was an alcoholic, and that she did not like going home after school due to not knowing what to expect. After a while, my mom learned about her alcoholic mother and took the girl under her wing, gave her safe haven at our house and told her she could stay with us any time she wanted/needed. She took us up on the offer but we could tell that she wasnt used to the affection. -
1.1 Entering Adolescence
It was 4th grade, I remember telling my mom that I'd had an "accident" as I was rushing to get into the bathtub. Later on, she told me that I'd gotten my very first period and explained the joys of puberty to me. Then came the growth spurt, my first training bra, increased number of arguments with my parents and conflicts with my little brother. My moods and hormones were all over the place, and I was asserting my independence. My transition matched what was written in the book. -
2.1 Early Maturer
Gonadarche started almost as soon as I finished 3rd grade. That following summer, A growth spurt that had me tower over my peers and started my basketball career, I'd started to sexually mature and needed training bras, and a period by the time I was in 4th grade. I'd fully developed by the time I was in 5th grade with regular bras and regular periods. I disagree with most of what the book says about early maturing girls, except for depression as I've struggled with that my whole life. -
2.2-Niche Picking
There was difficulty figuring out what my niche was when I was growing up because whatever I did or was involved with, my parents chose for me. I can't remember if I even ever actively seeked out environments that was compatible and stimulating for me. I was involved in sports, but didn't particularly enjoy it except for swimming and my friends were not swimmers. I love reading, but going to the library was more of a treat than anything and I went when my mother took me and my brother. -
3.1- Imaginary Audience
5th grade, I wore baggy clothes to cover up my body because it felt like everyone was judging me. I didnt like playing basketball because my egocentric little brain had me convinced that I was on stage and everyone was watching just me. I even caused chemical burns on my face from overdoing it with cleansers because EVERYONE saw that pimple. Metacognition and abstract thinking made me aware of my thought processes and even had me questioning my own existence. -
4.2- Non Gender Type Behavior
My brother is an example. It is thought that males have a harder time reading social cues, recognizing non verbal display of emotion, and showing emotion/empathy. He is not like that whatsoever. I can remember way back when things were difficult for him because he was picking up on everything that was going wrong, picking up on my mom's anxiety even though she was trying to hide it, to the point where he developed anxiety. -
6.2-Companionship
Adolescent girls really do not like going out by themselves, I was always invited to go out with one of the neighborhood girls to the pool, library, mall, movies, etc. We were not best friends,but because we lived so close to each other it was convenient to pick up the phone to invite one other or just to walk over to each others houses to see what was planned for that day. It was a good companionship, more like an acquaintance. -
7.1- Transition to Middle School
After moving to a different elementary school in 3rd grade, I was eager to see old friends and friends on the first day of 6th grade. I very quickly learned that elementary relationships would not be the same in middle school, about cliques, and how much more independence was given to us as 6th graders compared to 5th graders. Because I changed schools in the middle of my elementary career, being in a new building was not stress inducing for me. I loved being able to explore this giant school! -
6.1- parent adolescent conflict
My upbringing and adolescence may have been different because I only remember bickering with my mother about being too involved with my life. It had nothing to do with the generational gap or usual everyday issues. It had everything to do with her fighting hard for me to get equal access and treatment in school/after school activities, and both of us are pretty anxious people so when we're close to our boiling point, we don't handle it very well. -
7.3- Intrinsic Motivation
In 6th grade, we did an Invention Fair. A lot like a science fair, but with our own patent and inventions. I was determined to blow the other students out of the water and decided to use my cochlear implant as an inspiration behind my invention. At the time, my cochlear implant was a box with a long wire attached to the ear piece, and I was always frustrated with detangling the wire so I came up with a Cochlear Implant Holder and was super proud when I saw that I'd earned an A+. -
3.2- Fluctuation
I was about 13 and I remember how quickly my moods would fluctuate. I just chalked it up to puberty or PMS, because often times I would be really happy then very quickly change to feeling sad. I would also feel anxious, then become calm, then super hyper. I remember my friends commenting on how quickly my moods would change and how annoying I would be, I also remember thinking that I couldn't help it. Man, I hated the pre-teen years. -
3.3- Differentiation
Looking back, I could see differentiation happening with me being with my family and me being with friends. My self-understanding would differ from being moody to being extremely happy and hyper, depending on who I was with. If there was drama among friends, then I would get caught up in it and cause more drama. If my parents told me and my brother good news or surprised us, then I would get very giddy. -
4.1- Gender Type Behavior
I hated high school. Whoever said that high school was the best time of your life should be shot. The reason I didn't like high school were because of the girls. The textbook is correct about boys, they're more physically aggressive. The textbook is also correct about girls, they can be MEAN. It wasn't yelling or arguing, it was the low undercut insults that were dropped very casually as they walked by their intended victim. In my case, it was usually a handwritten note. Mean Girls do exist. -
7.2- Transition to College
Harrisonburg Public Schools had four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The transition was relatively easy for me from middle school to high school because it was with the same group of classmates to an even bigger building. However, college was difficult. Going from top dog in high school to a measly college freshman on an entirely unfamiliar campus in a foreign-to-me state was pretty stressful. Being 8 hours away from home, I was constantly homesick and didn't do well. -
1.2 Emerging Adulthood
I'd just became 21 and was on the verge of flunking out of college. That was when the transition from adolescence to adulthood started for me. Knowing that I would need to work and find a place if I failed out of school, knowing that I would have bills to pay as parents would wash their hands of my bills if I was not a student anymore. I had no idea what I wanted to study and I swore off relationships after a number of failed ones. I agree that what was written in the book is correct.