Personal Case Study

Introduction

It is a fact that every human being is unique. We differ in the way we think, the way we interpret things, the way we act, the way we handle and respond to things and so on. As tackled in our Social Psychology class, people might be similar in some ways, but not entirely.

This paper contains a case study about myself considering all the experiences I had from the past up to the present. I tried hard to answer the questions honestly to come up with a good output.

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

I was born in Malangas, Zamboanga del Sur (now Zamboanga Sibugay) on March 23, 1991. I am 20 years old, female, and a fourth year college student, taking up AB Sociology. Here in MSU campus, I live in a dormitory as a bed spacer.

II. DESCRIPTION OF MY MAIN PROBLEMS IN LIFE

So far, I could say that I am not or I have not been into a serious problem. The only thing is that sometimes, I find it hard to handle petty family and academic problems that are accompanied by stress and depression.

My problems are mildly upsetting. I said so because during those times, I can still do my responsibilities as a person and I can stay joyful. My family can still find time to laugh together and throw jokes at each other. It is just a matter of how you perceive your problem.

As I could remember, those problems started when I was in grade 2, when my Ate started to get addicted with her vices (alcohol, smoking, drugs, etc.). Then few years after that, my brother also became like that. That was the time when my parents fell into extreme frustration and concluded that all of their children were really into and will be into misfortune. Mother and father started to develop mistrust to me and to my youngest sister.

Speaking of solutions, after graduating from high school, I entered MSU. That time I learned to be independent. I came here without my parents. I just showed them that I am far different from Ate and Kuya by doing well with my studies and showing so much eagerness to help them in the future.

Regarding stress in my academics, one way to beat it is food! When stress strikes, I eat a lot. Literally, a lot! And also, I hang out with friends often times for distraction.

Showing my parents that I am not the kind of daughter that would give them another bunch of headaches was really helpful. After that they became very trustful to me, to the extent that they would not even phone me if I don't tell them to do so. On the other hand, food and friends were really helpful tool. When you are with them, you will forget all the negative experiences you are going through. I swear! To add, at my age, I have not been into any type of counseling yet. But I guess little advices from relatives and friends did helped me sometimes.

III. PERSONAL AND SOCIAL HISTORY

I have 3 siblings, two sisters and a brother. My relationship with Ate (eldest) is quite troublesome. The time that I developed understanding about the world, I started to dislike my Ate, because that was the time when she gave too much to think about to my parents. When she gets home late, I am the first one to scold her and she doesn't say anything. At ordinary times we quarrel just because of petty stuff. Maybe I really easily get irritated with her because deep within me I hated the things she does. Speaking of my Kuya, most of the times we also quarrel with the same reasons with my Ate. I cannot imagine how come he could be so irresponsible and imprudent when in fact right now he is already 23 years old. He finds me 'kontrabida' all the time because I act more than a mother when scolding him. There was a time when we were quarreling that he punched the wall and I cried a lot. But despite all the quarrels and everything, there are times that we hang out, especially if it is a food trip.

There comes my youngest sister. The apple of my parents' eyes. At 19 she is still regarded as young minded because of her actions. Too much different when I was at that age. We also have a quarrelsome relationship but not because of those reasons like with my Ate and Kuya. It is merely because of our age gap. She's just a year younger than me. She also calls me 'kontrabida' because I always get in the way when she wants things that appear to be impractical to me.

About my parents, I could say that they are the 'happy type'. I said so because despite all the problems they can still manage to smile, especially those times that we were so down because of Ate and Kuya's wrongdoings. After all that they did, they were able to forgive them. They are also strong-willed and hardworking. When we want something, they try so hard to give it to us. My father is thrifty, too opposite with my mother (my relationship with them at is part VI).

Talking about religion, I spent my elementary years in an SDA school (I graduated valedictorian there). Because of that I was not able to really get into the religion that our family has. I believed that Sabbath Day is the holy day. Every Friday we get into the chapel. During those years I was really acquainted with the SDA church. But after I graduated in elementary, I was able to see where I/we really belong. We are actually Roman Catholics.

Speaking of school, my high school years were the best. There I started to see reality. I had a lot of friends and some attitudes and interests came out from within me. About my scholastic weaknesses, well, I am not really the kind of student who burns the candle at night, and it was really hard for me to get up early. On the other hand, one of my strengths is that I had a very good relationship with all of my classmates and teachers. I wonder how I did that.

About ambitions, generally I just wanted to be rich. To become a high-income-earning professional. For as long as I could help my family and I could enjoy what I am doing, that will be enough for me. I will have nothing more to ask.

IV. BEHAVIOR

Personally, I have lots of behavior that I wish to change. I have this behavior that makes people think that 'I am not my age'. Also, my habit of 'I'll do things later, there's still time' is freaking me out sometimes. I hate those things but I kept on doing them.

About skills and talents, honestly speaking, I still wonder what talents I have as a person because I am really thinking that I do not have any. But with skills, well, I can cook well, and I could do things as fast as possible. People also say that I have a 'leadership potential and this sense of responsibility' and I do not know why.

Almost 50% of my free time is spent on daydreaming. I really love daydreaming, maybe