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Birth
My birth was a significant life event for myself, my parents, and both of my half-sisters. This was a fairly pivotal transition period for all members of my family, as they were forced to establish and carry out many responsibilities in terms of my care (e.g. economical, physical, etc). I was able to from life-long relationships, and despite being a predominantly happy child, my crying spells were often enough to cause a little bit of role strain between the sleep deprived members of my family. -
My First Hospital Trip
My first hospital trip took place in 2002 when I fell down the stairs in my jumper and my head went through the drywall. This was a traumatic event for both my family and myself and resulted in a few minor issues that have followed into my adolescence. These include knocking a few of my teeth out of place, which resulted in nearly $7,000 in braces payments, a concussion, and was inferred to have had a role in few of the mental illness I have been diagnosed with following the hospitalization. -
My Parents Separating
Although my parents had separated a handful of times and continued to do so well into my teens, this particular split was very significant for my family. We originally lived in Cannington, Ontario, but myself, my eldest sister and mom moved in with some family in Toronto while my dad and middle sister stayed behind. This was a large transition for my family in which we had all endured a copious amount of role conflict, altered economic and social status, social institutions, and relationships. -
Winning my First Soccer Tournament
After playing on my Cherry Beach Soccer team for nearly 4 years, my cohorts and I won our first championship. I had the ability to connect with many individuals and form a few solid relationships in my four years of playing, and additionally, learn countless values and morals through different social situations and encounters that took place. -
Winning an Award for Creative Writing
After receiving the Creative Writing Award at my grade 6 graduation, I learned how much I value writing as an individual. It inspired me to continue reading and writing and challenging myself with works far beyond the level of reading for my age group. This had, in turn, resulted in a strong sense of introspection and creativity that I have carried well into my adolescence, and that continues to play a large role in my development. -
My First Solo
In my first year at Riverdale Collegiate Institute, I auditioned for a singing competition called Riverdale Idol. After a few elimination rounds, I made it to the finals alongside 4 others, and placed first. This was fairly significant for me in terms of realizing how much I value singing as an individual, providing me with a variety of opportunities (being asked to perform and offered studio bookings), and allowing me to discover an outlet despite my severe social and generalized anxiety. -
My First Job
Despite being too young to carry out a handful of tasks as a personal shopper at Loblaws (e.g. use the cash register, and yes, there's an age limit), this was a pivotal life event that impacted my family as a whole. Due to bringing in my own income, I was able to gain an independent economic status and move towards a sense of semi-autonomy. I also learned a variety of social norms in the workplace that differed from those of high school, and formed many platonic relationships with my coworkers. -
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My First Relationship
In the summer of my grade 10 year I met and engaged in an intimate relationship with a boy named Michael James. As Michael and I's relationship was fairly destructive, it had created a significant amount of role conflict between myself and many of my peers and family members, had challenged and solidified many of my values as an individual (e.g. the way I value loyalty, commitment, emotional support, etc.), and had allowed me to establish a set of roles I play in an intimate relationship. -
My Parents Moving Away
Living alone (before my ex-boyfriend moved in) was one of the most difficult transitions that took place within my life. This had forced me to not only gain a sense of independence, but rely solely on a single-person income to pay the rent and additional bills, had pushed me to understand what I value as an individual and the challenges of living alone, and resulted in the strain and conflict of certain familial relationships due to the circumstances. -
Getting a Puppy
After years of begging my parents for a puppy, they finally caved and brought home Buddy (we call him Butter). This was a fairly significant transition, as there were a variety of roles and responsibilities each member of the family was forced to establish in terms of his care. Despite being a dog, I have grown to love Butter unconditionally and have formed a close relationship with him that is irreplaceable to me (arguing that one can form relationships with their pets). -
Moving Day
Moving from Toronto to Coe Hill, Ontario was one of the largest transitions for my family and I. Upon attending my grade 12 year at North Hastings High School, I formed a few new relationships with many incredible individuals and learned the difference in social norms within Toronto and Bancroft schools (e.g. slang, clothing, etc). The transition also allowed my family to establish a new set of roles for each member (whether it be physical, economical, etc.) and a new social and economic status. -
Meeting One of My Bestfriends
After undergoing some of the most significant events of my life, I had the pleasure of meeting one of my best friends, Jewelian Rodrigues. Through meeting her, I was able to get through an extensive amount of hardships, learn more about myself and my values as an individual than I have in all of the years of my life combined, and form one of the strongest platonic relationships I have ever had the ability of forming. I am beyond grateful that I had the opportunity to meet her. -
High School Graduation
Graduating high school with my diploma will be a vastly significant event in my life. It signifies the final chapter prior to entering post-secondary, and will influence which social institutions I get accepted to following my completion of the OSSLT. Many relationships may be strained or terminated in the process due to a variety of factors (e.g. distance, drama, etc.) and many will continue to grow and develop overtime. -
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Going to University
Starting university will signify one of the largest transition periods in my life and in my families. Staying on residence will force all members of my family within my household to reconsider and redistribute roles and responsibilities within the family. Additionally, it will allow me to gain a sense of semi-autonomy, form many relationships, learn my values as an individual, gain a vast amount of knowledge, and gain a social status with all new social norms and behaviours. -
PhD in Psychology
Having my PhD in Psychology will allow me to make the transition between my current social institution to the workforce. In doing so, I will gain a sense of financial independence, create, form, and maintain a large variety of relationships between coworkers and patients, and will allow me to establish a new social and economic status. -
Have My First Child
Settling down with my significant other and having our first child will be a major life event for myself and my family of procreation. Roles and responsibilities within the household will have to be altered and assumed in order to care for our child and maintain other important aspects of our lives. Additionally, close-knit relationships will (hopefully) be formed between us our child that will last throughout the years of his or her life. -
Death
My predicted death will have a significant impact on my (not to sound grim, but) remaining family. My child (or children) will have to make a large transition by adapting to life without his/her/their parent(s) and continue to grow and develop as individuals. Depending on the circumstance, this may alter roles and responsibilities within their families and affect their economic status (in terms of funeral costs, healthcare, etc).
