Jayden Szeto - Week 3 - Nature and Identity
One of the most unexpected places for me to find my identity was in nature. Throughout my entire life, I have always thought of myself as the person who doesn’t go out much, stays home and watches movies or plays video games. Which I was. I mean, my mother signed me up for sports like tennis, basketball, badminton, and golf ever since I was little, but I still didn’t really like the outdoors. However, as I grew older, I started to WANT to play sports and go outside more than I had previously (which still isn’t saying much because I did not really go out much before). I would go hiking with friends on Mission Peak and walking around Coyote Hills, take quiet walks at the park after school with my mom, and go outside the house and feed the stray neighborhood cats.
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| Neighborhood Cat |
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| Another cat |
During the challenging yet exhilarating hikes on Mission Peak, I would talk with my friends about life. Me tripping every now and then but then getting up reminded me of who I was; someone who would not give up. It was all worth it because then I would be able to get that nice view at the top and eat something. As for the neighborhood walks, I usually take them when everything is too much and I just want to clear my head. It gives me time to think about what I want to do and also reflect on my day. I would just keep walking around the neighborhood in a circle, and then go back with a clearer mind. It was in these moments in nature and outdoors that took away the expectations of society and the pressure from school. There was no one there making fun of you, or telling you what to do or not do. The trees, the cats, or whatever else was around me would make the chaos of daily life be something in the background. It was here that I found that who I was was buried under layers of my OWN expectations and judgements; I had thought of myself as someone who would not enjoy being outdoors and touching grass, but I was wrong. Growth was something that could only be achieved by stepping out of the comfort zone.
Hi Jayden! Reading your blog this week made me realize how deeply I, in certain ways, relate to you. In a time of competition and pressure from friends, family, and school, I’ve felt a level of inadequacy. Like you, I didn’t go out much when I was young, and I tend to refuse the activities that my mother made me do. I have also found peace and isolation from the worries of life by just going outside and being alone. In a time where everything feels busy, we seek to find things to be grateful for. When most of our times are spent indoors, just taking a hike or a walk around the neighborhood provides enough “freshness” that captures our attention away. I admire your willingness to be vulnerable when sharing in these blogs as well as your self-discovery. Your conclusion that growth only occurs outside one’s comfort zone is harsh but beneficial to abide by. I feel that one of the appeals of life is the complexities that can’t be jotted down, only felt. Sometimes, personal experiences of growth are powerful and meaningful to one’s heart, but the actual event may not seem significant to others. So, the fact that you have communicated to the cohort a glimpse of your personal feelings is something that I really appreciate.
ReplyDeleteHi Jayden, I love that you are able to connect with nature despite not liking the outdoors when you were younger. This really shows the growth and broadening of your identity throughout your life. Personally, I am not really an outdoor person but I have grown to be appreciative of it. Like you, I would spend most of my childhood inside, either playing with my friends or simply watching T.V but I would go to school or classes which gave me a chance to be outside. However, during quarantine, like everyone else, I was cooped up in my house 24/7 and this suffocated me so much because earlier, I had some opportunities to go out but at this time, I didn’t move out of my room. I realized that I needed some balance in my life which prompted me to go on walks. This was extremely refreshing because I had time to process my own thoughts and have time for myself. I love that you are able to enjoy your Mission Peak hikes with your friends and it was a very clever way to incorporate your personality by claiming that you get back up no matter how many times you trip. I think that the trip to your destination is more important than being at the top because it shows your perseverance and allows you to reflect on your life which is a much bigger part of your identity than the view.
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