Introductions

Introducing oneself would have rather been easy. Saying your name and sharing tidbits of oneself is something that we can expect when we’re off to do something new and majority of your companions are people you have met for the first time. As this is my first semester in the graduate school, I admit I have been pretty excited about going back to school and experiencing the highs and lows of being a student again. In short, I missed school!

Yet, I was also quite aware of some nostalgic feelings. Going inside a classroom in the university where I’ve spent my college days was like being transported back two or three years ago. Only, I was going inside with different people. There was no Misuey, Aia, Isabel and Juna. That made me think that maybe, I did not miss school—I miss them.

When I was introducing myself, talking about my family, educational background and work, I was also aware that I often weighed if I should tell this much or this little. The people listening to me were mostly strangers—and they will also be the persons I will be learning with for the next months or so. I did not want to say too much yet I wanted to say enough for them to recognize my uniqueness. Also, I noticed that I was quite attentive in listening to them. Hmm…I guess it was primarily because I was semi-impressed about these people who are striving for personal growth through higher learning.

The following week’s activity was appropriately called Memory Game; because we had to remember what the others said about themselves the other week and share that information to the class. To be honest, it did not require me too much remembering. Because I chose to introduce the persons whom I’ve known even before I started graduate school. And I noticed that in choosing the things that I was going to say when it will be my turn to introduce them, I was weighing things even more. Even though they were people that I’ve known before, I did not want to divulge too much lest I said something that they would personally not have wanted the group to know. I guess that is why the things I have shared were mostly superficial, like demographics. I guess I played the safer side.

In The Hat game, I remember looking forward about what my “adviser” would be suggesting to me in reference to my apprehensions, worries and weaknesses. It had been very easy for me to write those things down because I knew that I was writing it anonymously. The person would not know he was talking to me. So I was able to write and put many things there. I was being totally truthful that time. I guess it was the same for my classmates. I heard some very personal information back then and I think that they were thinking the same thought I had—that it was safe to disclose anything on that piece of paper because no one would know it was you.

I was also thankful for the person who got my paper. His suggestions were pretty practical; I could have pinched myself for not thinking about it first. I guess that’s the advantage when we share something about us with a person who is different from us—in gender, race or faith, etc.—because they enable us to see things in a different perspective. And the other’s view could be rather helpful in helping us reflect and make better choices.