Jun 03, 2006 10:40
Name: Katie
Age: 16, 1month and 20days
I. Describe yourself: In all honesty, I'm not one of those people who is particularly great at describing themselves. I've been told on many occasions that once someone has got to know me, I'm an entirely different person than perceived to be on first acquaintance, because describing who I am is not one of my best talents. I hate blowing my own trumpet - I'm quite a modest person, for example, if anyone congratulates me, or compliments me, I'll brush it aside or try to contradict them in some way. On the other hand, when I'm told I'm good at something, somewhere inside I get a secret thrill, and it encourages me to push myself to achieve more. I set myself very high expectations, and even thought I don't always reach those expectations, I continue to set them for myself. I believe that if I keep setting these expectations, one day, if I keep persevering, I will exceed them. I've been told that I'm an extremely intelligent girl, although that is something I find hard to believe. I've spent the last couple of years at school, to put it mildly, shirking. I thought I could get away with minimum effort, and although I never really did badly enough to warrant concern, I did badly enough to make myself realise that if I didn't pull my socks up, I'd fall flat on my face this year. Although choosing to mess around isn't what I'd call one of my proudest moments, I wouldn't ever say "I wish I could go back and re-do those past years." I don't believe in wishing to change the past, because I'm firm believer in the "your past shapes your future" thing. I say every little choice you make, is reflected somewhat in your future, even if you don't realise it, so why wish on the past, when nothing will ever come of it.
I'm not an entirely sensible person all the time, I do a lot of things that I instantly regret, but I don't waste time sitting around crying over what I've done. I'm not afraid to make an idiot of myself, in public or otherwise. I don't initially set myself up for embarrassment, but I'm not afraid to make a fool out of myself, and do something completely stupid. I believe once you learn to laugh at yourself, life becomes a lot easier, because you stop being embarrassed, and start living life more fully.
I can also be a very angry person. I get irritated very easily, and lose my temper, and become irrational. Small things make me fly off the handle, and I’m not particularly pleasant to be around when that happens. People have said I often have issues, but that’s not the case; I just let things get to me too easily, and I often come across as too angry or cynical for my age. I’ve been told I should try to be “happier” or “more like x” (x being a particularly happy and care-free friend whose name I won’t mention), but I disagree when people say that. I think that the fact that the world is made up of so many different people is incredibly, and no one person should try to be more like anybody else - we are who we are for a reason
Generally speaking I would say I’m an incredibly passionate person. I don’t mean passionate in a sex-y kind of way, but I get passionate, and I’m never afraid to argue my case. If I don’t like something, I will make it know. I don’t stand for being trodden down, of having my opinions squashed as if they are less important that someone else’s. I’m pretty opinionated, and it can get me into trouble sometimes. When I have to I can work incredibly hard, but I also do my fair share of messing around. I’m a good friend to those that deserve it, and I will listen to those that need to talk, but I don’t stand for whiny, pathetic “woe-is-me I don’t have a boyfriend I’m so ugly” sob stories. I’m generous, and in the past have been used by people because of it. I love to read, more than many other things, but I also have an enormous love for music of many different genres - rock, jazz, emo, classical, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s, and I don’t criticise if someone has different tastes to me. I love films, whether they’re old, new, romantic, comedy, or magical. One of my other greatest hobbies is writing, I love to write, but am often to shy to share my work with others. I have an ability to make friends with all different kinds of people, and my friendship group is made up of some incredibly varied people - not one of us is the same in any way really. I’m conscious about who I share things with - I won’t tell anyone my secrets, and more often than not I tend to bottle things up, which isn’t always good for my health. I get a thrill from exciting activities - I’m much more outgoing, and willing to risk breaking my neck that many other people I know, and I like it.
I guess the only stuff left for me to say are the basics. My name is Katherine, and I find that it’s such a common name round here that it bugs me. I go by Katie most of the time, but sometimes Katija, KJ, Chickadee, or Pooh-Bear (embarrassingly cute I know!) I’m 16 years old, I have brown curly hair, brown eyes, I’m petit both in dress size and height. I live in the UK. I don’t like it here, but I put up with it, although I intend to move away from here as soon as I get the opportunity. I’m a pieces, I don’t have a favourite colour, my favourite books are the Harry Potter Series and anything like Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Mansfield Park. I also love Vanity Fair, War and Peace, and have finally The Bell Jar. I’m in school taking exams at the moment, and I am working harder than I have done in ages. I guess the only other thing I could tell you about myself is that I have a horrible tendency to be extremely sarcastic a lot of the time - it’s not something I do out of choice, but I don’t always think before I speak, so a lot of the time, replies I give to things such a stupid questions or statements and very sarcastic. Oops?! (I think that is probably the most I have ever said about myself in one sitting.)
II. What are some of your pet peeves?: Like I said, I get irritated easily, but there are several things that annoy me in particular. One would be bad spelling and punctuation, including “net and text speak”. I get really up in peoples faces if they don’t use the correct English, even if it’s just on Instant Messenger. I don’t claim to use perfect spelling or grammar myself, but when people make obvious mistakes in their spelling like “definately”, or (cringe, a girl a couple of years older than me actually spelt it this way…) “Allways”.
I also get infuriated when people walk really, really slowly on pavements, and don’t consider that there might be people behind them who have places to be and can’t afford to be ambling along at 1mph. Linking in to this is large groups of people who walk along with their arms linked, and don’t split up when they see someone coming towards them, and they just expect you to give them right of way.
Another thing that really bugs me are people who say “you know I’m always here for you, right?”, but when blow comes to blow, they choose run a hundred miles in the opposite direction rather than help you out. Why do people bother saying it, if at the end of the day they’re not actually going to be there?
Finally, I really, really hate being told what to do. I’m fully aware that people only want what’s best for me, but I have a brain, and I like to use it to make my own decisions. Telling someone what to do is like treating them as though their stupid, and that’s just plain rude.
III. What is your take on religion?: Hm, the time old question of “what do you believe”. To be 100% honest it varies from day to day. I think to an extent I have always believed in Jesus, but in my opinion, the idea of God pushes it too far. I’m too cynical to believe in “miracles”, and although I do believe in Jesus I abhor the fact that he was portrayed to be a miracle worker, or some kind of divinity. Stories like Feeding The 5000 are too far fetched for me, because although I’m terrible and many things logical, common sense tells me that a few fish and a loaf of bread could never, ever have fed 5000 people.
I hate it when people try to push religion on me, and convince me that it’s all real, because no matter how many times I’m threatened with “hell”, I’m not going to change my mind simply because some Bible Pushers tell me it’s all true, and that God will reward me for my faith.
I often think that people use religion as a protection (humans have a basic instinct to protect, but many also need to be protected), and I think that belief in a higher power comforts them to some extent. I wouldn’t ever criticise someone for their beliefs, but beyond that I think that science (however bad I may be at it) holds power over religion. I believe in life and death, and nothing afterwards. It’s scientific knowledge that we are made up of cells, and we need oxygen, and a heart to keep us alive. When that heart stops beating, and those cells are no longer active, in my opinion, that’s the end. No heaven or hell, just the end.
IV. If you were a character in the Harry Potter series, which of the following would you be? (Pure-Blood, Half-Blood, Muggle Born, Squib, or Muggle): Wow, this is actually a really tricky question to answer. So much so that it’s taken me a while to come up with at answer. If you look at those words (Pure-Blood, Half-Blood, Muggle Born, Squib, or Muggle) they are all just labels (much like Upper-Class or Working Class, or English or German). None mean you are a better person, they just label you. There is childish part of me that wants to sit here and say “obviously I’d be a Pure-Blood!!!”, but if you want a truthful answer, here it is. I think I’d most likely be Half Blood, or possibly muggle-born. Looking at one side of the family, it is full of extremely clever, wise and I suppose upper-class people, many of whom have done a fair amount of good, so if any side of my family were to be Pure-Bloods, it would be them. The other side of my family are, to be blunt, no particularly clever, but are the biggest-hearted, kindest people I’ve ever met, with a hell of a lot of common sense and compassion.
To be honest, I think it’s extremely hard to decide what I’d be if I were a character, but I think I would probably be half blood, but at the end of the day it wouldn’t bother me if I was muggle-born if I could do magic!
V. Which house do you not fit in at all?: Again I think this is really hard, but I think I would probably have to say Hufflepuff. I have absolutely nothing against them, and as I house I think they get some of the kindest people, which is why I don’t think I would fit it. As kind as I can be, it takes very little for me to lose it, and I don’t think I have the tolerance for others that it takes to be a Hufflepuff. I’m not the most trusting of people either, and it takes a fair while for me to trust someone enough to tell them anything personal. I have a tendency to act a little big for my boots sometime. Not in the respect that I think I’m really clever and better than everyone else, but I sometimes think that I can do everything on my own even if I know I’ll probably need help. Put it this way; if I was told I had to save the world, and could choose to do it alone, or have one person help me, I would probably say “Sure I can do it on my own, I don’t need someone else tagging along.” My sense of adventure is a dominant part of my character, which I don’t think is entirely fitting to a Hufflepuff characteristic.
To be entirely honest, I think that whatever house I was put in, I would do my best to thrive, because I think it is better to accept change, and something different, than to fight it.
VI. How do you feel about inter-house relations?: To be honest, I’m a very competitive person, so I think that focusing on competition rather than inter-house relations forces people to push harder, and achieve more. I think that Points, House Cup, and being a proud member of whatever house you may be in are all important in school life, and healthy competition never hurts anyone, only prepares them for the big wide world.
That said, I don’t think competition should go as far as dislike for anyone who is not in the same house as you. Having friends with people in other houses is equally healthy as competition (variety is the spice of life!), but standing up for your own house, and showing solidarity among your closest friends is always admirable.
At the end of the day, as long as you study and work hard at school, who you are friends with should not be a problem, but when dislike for another house affects that, then something needs to be done to resolve it.
VII. If you received a Howler from your parents, what would it be for?: Hah, this is a great question. It would, without a doubt, be sent from my mother, telling me off for getting into a fight with a teacher. There is no doubt that my argumentative streak would one day get me in a lot of trouble with one teacher or other, to the extent that my parents would be told. Like I said, my unmoveable opinions get me into trouble, and it’s something my mother has a huge problem with. She would love the opportunity to say “I TOLD YOU THAT IT WOULD GET YOU INTO TROUBLE ONE DAY.”
I guess if it wasn’t that, it would simply be for leaving the castle after hours to explore, as my sense of adventure would probably rule over rational thinking, and my urge to discover new places would tempt me so greatly that I wouldn’t have a problem with leaving the castle after hours.
VIII. What would you die for?: I don’t normally like these questions. I always think that they put an unnecessary pressure on you to decide who you would and wouldn’t end your life for, and I’ve found in the past I’ve upset people by choosing someone else over them.
It’s taken me a long time to think of an answer to this one, but I guess it comes down to this: If it meant saving my family, I would die for them. If someone put a wand to my head and said “Either we kill you and the rest of your family is left unharmed, or we kill them (whether it be one or many of them) and you survive”, I would always say shoot me, because I’m one person in a family of many people who I believe to be truly amazing, ranging from two to eighty seven years old or more, and my theory is, why destroy so many lives when I could save all of them by dying for them.
I have to say, there aren’t many friends in the world I would die for. Put my neck out for them, yes. Risk a few broken bones for them, yes. But there are probably only 3 people in the world who aren’t family that I would die for. Two are people I have know almost my whole life (one before I can even remember what my life was like, and the second from the age of about three). They’re people I love like my own sister, and would do pretty much anything for them, as they’ve always been there for me, even if (for instance a couple of years ago this happened) I haven’t been the greatest friend to them. They’ve had my back in sticky situations, and they’ve been there when things seemed to be going downhill to pull me back up again, and that’s why I’d die for them. The third is someone I’ve know a relatively short time in comparison to the other two, but she is an amazing person who has been there constantly during the time that I have known her, and listened and helped a lot more than people I’ve know for two or three times the amount of time I’ve known her. She’s special, simply, and yeah, if someone was about to throw a killing curse at her, I would make sure she was safe, even if it meant getting hit myself.
IX. If you found your best friend's diary would you read it? Your worst enemy's?: Once upon a time I would have said “nooooo I’d never read my best friends diary!!”, but I have to say, if I saw it just sitting there, I would probably be really tempted to have a quick look and see if there is anything she was hiding from me. As much as I love my best friend to bits, we have completely different lives and completely different schools, and the inquisitive side of me would be interested to know if she was keeping anything from me. I have to say, anyone who knows that without a doubt that they would never read their best friends diary earns a lot of respect from me, as I think most people have an inquisitive side to them, and if you can control it, then that’s great, but unfortunately I’m one of those who can’t control it, so I probably would sneak a peek.
Same goes for my enemy’s diary. To be honest, if they were my enemy I wouldn’t even care if they caught me. I’d be too interested to know whether they said lots of horrible stuff about me.
X. What is your life's dream?: Wow, deep and meaningful question. Throughout my life (which admittedly isn’t that long), I’ve had various dreams for my life of all different shapes and sizes, some of which are achievable, some of which are so unrealistic it’s stupid.
If I’m going to be stupid, and talk about a life’s dream that is completely out of the question, then I’d say I want to bring an end to World Hunger, because no-one deserves to go hungry, but despite what I may like to think, there is no way on earth I could end World Hunger, I’m nowhere near good enough to do that.
Realistically, aside from being happy, and having a family, my one dream which I could make come true if I try, is to make a difference to people’s lives. Not everyone’s life, but to those that need my help, I’d like to give it to them. Right from the age of about 7, I’ve always said I want to be a Lawyer -sort of follow in the footsteps of my father thing. But as I’ve matured and gotten older, I’ve decided that being a Barrister would be a dream of mine, because if I could bring justice to those that deserve it, and put people behind bars who don’t deserve to walk the streets, then I think I would feel a wonderful sense of achievement
XI. What makes you unique? Explain: Physically, I’m a short person in a huge crowd of tall people, I have wild curly hair whereas many around here have glossy straight hair, but otherwise not a whole lot.
Personality wise, I like to think I’m pretty unique. My views and opinions set me apart from the crowd, whether it be something small like my obsessive H/Hr shipping, or something much more controversial like my views on the death penalty. I’m quite loud mouthed, and strong minded, and it definitely sets me apart from the crowd around here. Also, I’m not someone to let others walk over me; I will stand by my beliefs right to the end. (I’m finding that I’m running out of things to say now!)
XII. What sets you apart from the crowd?: To me, this question is too similar to the previous one to warrant having any effect on where I could be sorted, but I’ll give it my best shot.
Quite simply, I’m not afraid to be, and to show, who I am. As I’ve observed others around me going through the same changes all people make during their teenage years, I’ve found that many are embarrassed of who they are, and have tried to change themselves to fit in with the “in crowd”. I’m the one in the crowd who isn’t afraid to be me, and to make an idiot out of myself.
If that’s not enough, then there is always my laugh, and my singing voice. My laugh is probably the loudest in my class, and if I find something hilarious I’m not afraid to laugh out loud, even if it results in people telling me my laugh is way to loud. Secondly, my singing voice is pretty different to many girls. I have an incredibly deep singing voice, and was told by my singing teacher that the only other female she’s ever taught with a voice as deep as mine was an Afro-Caribbean soul and blues singer. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but all I know is in the choir, I have pretty much the deepest voice.
XIII. Which of the Seven Deadly Sins (envy, pride, gluttony, wrath, sloth, greed, lust) do you feel you possess the most?: Haha, I would just love to say lust. I fall in and out of love so easily, and I’m always lusting after someone or other, but to be entirely honest, I probably possess more wrath than any of the other deadly sins. Like I’ve said in previous answers, I can be a very angry person. Small things send my temper soaring sky high, and on occasion I’ve been known to show violent tendencies. I’ve never intentionally hurt someone, but in my rage I’ve thrown chairs across rooms, and things out of windows. If someone angers me, they will know it, because there is no way that I would be able to keep my anger under wraps. It’s a fault I guess, but you could say it’s just one other thing that sets me apart from the crowd…