People often refer to it as the windy city, but Chicago for me is the place I call home. In my early adulthood years, I often gave much prominence to the act of growing up, but I now know that wholesome living is the more important aspect of life. It is through living that I get to adjust my temperament in order to fit into my current environment and probably prosper in the process. I grew up in Chicago with my family but by the time I was old enough to comprehend life, my father had already left our family.
Therefore, I am accustomed to referring to my mother and sister as the only family that I have. Psychologists will often tell you how growing up without a father affects a child negatively. However, I feel like I am exempt from this theory because I had a great experience while being raised singlehandedly by my mother. Ultimately, I feel that my mother did a better job than the one two parents could have done. I do not feel as if I have missed anything in life, especially now that I am a grownup who can comprehend and analyze situations. For instance, when I was a child in elementary school I envied the kids who had the attention of two parents, but I no longer have this problem as a grownup.
My social experiences in life have been many and varied. However, throughout all my socialization experiences I find that I always end up growing a little. My most remarkable social experience was high school, mostly because it was also quite a turbulent period. When I remember this experience, I see that I could have been totally lost. I ended up dropping out of high school for a short period of time. Dropping out of high school was not because I did not like schoolwork, but I had major underlying issues with the entire experience. For instance, I was not sure which path to follow and I often found myself in what might be referred to as the ‘wrong crowd’.
Nevertheless, even if my social experiences were a challenge, I resolved to make my life complete by finishing my high school education in another school. Socialization continued to be a challenge even in my new environment but I was able to find overall success in this new school. The experience of finishing high school is directly connected to my current goal of acquiring a bachelor’s degree. I want this journey to come to a climax when I become a certified as a physical therapist.
It is easy for anyone to become embroiled in his/her own issues, thereby forgetting to pay attention to the bigger picture. The fact is that human beings are never alone and their problems are often collective in nature. Therefore, the easiest way for a person to solve his/her problems is by rectifying the issues that surround him/her. For example, in the course of my life I have often ignored how effective empathy can be, if it is genuinely directed towards others. Instead, I have chosen a less effective path of burying myself in my own problems. One effect of this tactic is that it has only led me to more problems without a chance of fulfillment.
Sociologists reckon that sociological perspective gives people “the capacity, ability, and a quality of mind that that allows individuals to connect and understand their lives with the forces that affect it” (Hegeman, 2015). Furthermore, a sociological perspective prevents me from judging others for the things that they do, and instead understand them just as I understand myself. I plan to rely on this empathy to make my life better in the long run.
As a resident of Chicago, I often define myself as a hard worker and a future provider for my family. Chicago neighborhoods, including the one I grew up in, are bustling with middle class fathers and mothers who work hard to provide for their families. Currently, I work as a hospital pharmacy tech and this is already shaping my cultural identity. The fact that the hospital pays for my higher education acts as a reaffirmation of my identity.
Overall, my brief understanding of sociology has enabled me to make sense out of my life and environment (Mills, 2010). I now understand that events in my early childhood led to conflicting interpretations of life during my teenage years. However, my sociological connections with my family have been a saving grace in my life because they have enabled me to get over difficult times. For instance, I knew as a Filipino man I had to step up and take care of my family when the right time came. Therefore, I have managed to clear my high school education, look for a job, and pursue a bachelor’s degree in the course of my efforts to change or conform to my social environment. My desire to be an overall provider is also the reason why I want to dabble in real estate.
References
Hegeman, S. (2015). A sociological imagination. Studia Neophilologica, 87(1), 97-103.
Mills, W. (2010). The sociological imagination. London: Oxford University Press.