Philosophy is an abstract term that is filled with multiple perceptions, thoughts, and beliefs. Philosophy mainly encompasses reality, knowledge, and ethics. In my eyes, philosophy is a way of life, and sometimes I am too stubborn to comprehend other individuals’ philosophies. I attempt to be unbiased when individuals explain their philosophies to me. I am an openminded individual, which is attributed to my desire to learn about philosophy and take this course. While I firmly stick to my values, I am accepting of hearing how others view their surroundings. Being exposed to other peoples’ philosophies typically makes me more certain about my feelings towards a particular topic and also offers me a new admiration of the opinions of others. I look forward to hearing from my classmates as they philosophically express themselves. Moreover, I am eager to share my own ideologies and am unashamed to stand by my notions regardless of what others think. Taking a course in philosophy means that I must be willing to participate in class and discuss my outlooks. I enjoy being an active class member and hope to gain knowledge by reacting to stories that I read and being involved in discussions about different topics in the philosophy realm. However, in order to partake in friendly conversation with members of the class, I must keep in mind my reality.

Reality is dependent on environment and may shift if I am with a specific group of people. If I spend time with my boyfriend, for example, my reality transforms from the dormitory to a tropical island. Even if I am with my boyfriend in my residence hall, he provides me with satisfaction and feelings of joy and takes me away from my current place to an alternative universe. Furthermore, reality is closely linked to imagination. As a creative writer, I consider myself to have a vivid imagination. Therefore, my philosophy is that I have control over my imagination, which in turn can temporarily change my reality until I stop visualizing. Daydreams are a prime example of reality monitoring deficits, and when I daydream of sitting on the beach on a warm, summer day instead of writing my paper, I am briefly giving myself false hope and am teasing myself by conscientiously inserting myself in a fictitious setting that differs from my actual location. Ironically, I am well aware of my reality, but I sometimes choose to block out my reality and neglect my responsibilities by choosing another reality. If I have the choice between two realities with one being taking an exam and the other being watching my favorite movie, then I will select the reality that best suits my needs. Taking a test does not serve any special purpose in my life, but watching a movie does because it brings me contentment.

My grandma is currently ninety-eight years old, which is remarkable! However, I oftentimes feel empathetic towards her and her skewed reality. While I am in charge of my reality, my grandma is not. Her cognitive aging illness overrules her ability to distinguish between what is actual and what is not. She has some accuracy of reality, but she is becoming older and her brain is shutting down and diminishing. When I was younger, I thought that the older one is, the better sense of reality they possess. However, this is not the case because being older does not always mean being wiser.

Knowledge is a major and meaningful component of philosophy. I am a hard worker, and my grades usually, but not always, mirror the efforts that I have exerted. Why do my attempts not always result in greatness? Does working diligently equate to knowledge? In my case, it does not. There have been instances when I have believed that I did not deserve a grade that I received. My work was either too superior compared to what the ultimate product was or too poor in correlation with what I supposedly earned. I oftentimes feel that I critique myself harshly because I expect a lot from myself. My knowledge travels beyond my academics. I sometimes feel as if I have not used my noggin appropriately in a social setting. I am a comedic person, and sometimes, some of my friends lack to understand that I am joking. I can say something that I feel is hysterical, but my friends do not always understand my words. They’re missing the riddle's punchline, but I feel like the punchline has always been there. A sensation of regret engulfs my body after I tell a joke that fails to receive a response. I initially feel embarrassed and silly for even putting the joke out in the first place. I feel misunderstood and unappreciated, but I eventually realize that as long as I find the joke funny, then this is all that matters. If something seemed witty in my mind, and others did not take the joke as such, then so be it! I only have the power to be responsible for my own reactions. I know that I am smart and that this is true in my reality. I have visual perception issues, so math has always been a challenge for me. I have faced these obstacles by performing to the best of my ability in geometry and other courses. I tend to psych myself out by telling myself that I am lousy in a subject, but I have realized that this is a fixed mindset. I must allow myself room to grow. I understand that I have strengths and weaknesses, but I should continue to tell myself that my strong points in reading and writing suffice for my hardships in math and spatial areas.

Confidence and knowledge go hand in hand. If I am sure that one plus one equals two, then I am demonstrating that I am positive that this fact is true. However, if I say that I see purple circles when I close my eyes before I go to sleep every night, then there is no way of proving that this statement is correct. Nobody else can see into my mind but I. My theory may be different than my friend, who sees pink polka dots when she closes her eyes.

I am a psychology major, and I have been required to complete many research projects throughout the course of my college career. I feel torn between relying on what data proves to be true and instinctively utilizing my own brain. Since psychology is such an innate topic to me, I am someone who naturally analyzes situations. I would attribute my dads’ sensitivity and feelings of always being ganged up on to his upbringing. My father was the youngest of three boys growing up, and he usually received the scraps. His opinions were not always valued as much as his older brothers’ were. On the other hand, I am an acknowledged only child. I wonder if my father wanted to ensure that I never felt the way that he did in his former household. On the contrary, research in psychology may show that my dads’ perception of how he was viewed as a child is merely his own prediction in regards to the situation since evidence does not support his claim. However, as much as I see insight in research, I also believe that research is not always actual unless it is confirmed to be a fact rather than an opinion. Moreover, my dad is not the most polite person, which may be associated with his

underdog status in his family as a young boy. Contrarily, my mother is one of the more well-mannered people I have come across. I also see myself as courteous and find it fascinating that I inherited some traits from my mom, others from my dad, and am in addition made up of my own unique qualities. Does my personality originate from the roots of my family tree? How did I become who I am today? I often times mentally pose these questions and exercise my thoughts and knowledge as I wonder if I am kind, loving, and supportive because I have adapted some familial characteristics, or rather if I have created myself based on the environment and type of society I have grown up in.

I consider myself to be ethical and am a big believer in giving back to the community because I feel that it is my duty as a citizen to serve people who lack essential resources and facilities. Throughout volunteering at homeless shelters, soup kitchens, centers for underprivileged youth, orphanages, and more, I feel that my morals have changed. I recently went to Morocco on a service learning trip and have discovered the true meaning of friendship. I have learned that sometimes those who have the least are the individuals with the biggest hearts. I am a humble and generous person, but there is no question that I am privileged. I am a white female, and while gender inequality, as well as racial inequality, may always be present in this country, I feel that I have been raised in a home that has provided me with more than what is necessary. When I was helping refurbish a site for young people in poverty in Morocco, I came across a girl who was around my age. She is one of the individuals who utilizes the facility, and it was awe-inspiring to see her improve the environment where she would spend her time by building and painting. Ethically, I felt that I was contributing greater good to this civilization by pouring my time, soul, and effort into this project. However, it was touching to see this girl recreating this safe haven for herself as well. She did not speak much English, but I made conversation with her. I pointed to her bracelet and attempted to express to her that I was complimenting her accessory. She either misunderstood me or truly wanted me to keep her bracelet because she then proceeded to hand me the bracelet. I was in shock and immediately found another Moroccan individual to translate for me. He validated that she wanted me to have the bracelet. I treasure and wear the bracelet daily, and I am always reminded of this special time. Different cultures practice different ethics, and such an occurrence does not seem likely in America.This poignant snapshot in my life has taught me the importance of spreading simple acts of kindness. The girl, who permitted me to keep her bracelet, did so to express her gratitude towards me. This gesture may have been minuscule to her, but to me, it was a beautiful and grandiose move. When I returned from Morocco, I exhibited a new-found sense of endearment for my loved ones and my hometown. My sensation of ethics is continuously varying in the sense that I am realizing more and more that simple acts of kindness go a long way.

Furthermore, I am also a leader and regularly undergo leadership training as part of

Rider University’s Leadership Development Program. As a result, I have learned that ethics are different than morals. Ethics relate to right versus wrong in one’s workplace or school, for instance, whereas morals depict an individuals’ internal perception of what is proper and what is improper. As a leader, I should model ethics that I feel my followers and co-leaders should learn from, and I must lead by example. I am someone who is cultured and who enjoys to excel, flourish, and grow from my experiences. I am learning to not obsess over small mistakes that I make and instead brush them off and hope to achieve greatness in the future instead of dwelling on the past. I have many friends with anxiety in my social circle, and while I do not suffer from the mental illness myself, I understand the strain it takes on people. I will sometimes say something to my friends that I know is unoffensive, but my friends will still become easily upset by what I have said to them because their perception vastly differs from mine. I use the ethics that I have established over time to trust myself and to be confident in knowing that I have done no wrong in spite of what others may think. Ethics mean more than merely “good” as opposed to “evil”. Ethics are principles that define my lifestyle. If I lacked my ethics, then I would not be the down to earth individual I am.

However, ethics is not the same policy as conscience. I have never seen myself as having an angel on one of my shoulders and a devil on the other. I have always been someone who makes decisions based on what I think is right, and my fast-paced thinking sometimes gets me in trouble. I will commit to plans with friends on the spot without giving how seeing my friends will ultimately make me feel much thought. However, as I reflect back on my actions, I realize that I should provide more careful consideration before ensuring that I will see people. While I enjoy being with others, I sometimes feel fatigue towards the end of the week, which is around the time I usually will engage in plans. I have learned from my former exchanges to not jump in and quickly say “yes, I will see you on Friday.” It is acceptable for me to take time to see whether or not I want to see my friends. I am not required to respond right away, and it is fine for me to have tentative arrangements with others. My issue is that I want to affirm to everything that others say because I have a difficult time saying “no.” Two letters are the heart of my meltdowns. I regret agreeing to see Sue, for example, because I would rather be resting. Nonetheless, I usually follow through anyway because I do not want to cancel on people and further disappoint them. I am so affable because I despise letting others down. I often times put the needs of others before my own, and I know that this is unhealthy. This skill is something that I am working on in hopes of improving my ethics. I know that I must prioritize myself before I am present for anyone else. Saying “no” to someone does not make me a terrible friend or human. As a matter of fact, it just makes me human. Humans are imperfect, and humans are not robots. I cannot be available for someone whenever he or she pleases because I am just a human being. I must take time to recharge and refuel before I can cater to the preferences of my friends and family. I am just beginning to learn this prominent piece of information.

I have had unsuccessful luck with some friendships, but I find that I am learning more about who I am throughout my college career. As a result, I am putting higher standards on those who I consider friends in comparison to those who I call my acquaintances. I am a friendly, amiable, outgoing person, but I now know that I cannot be friends with everyone. My always expanding ethics have taught me that I am worthy of friends who deserve me. I cannot be friends with people whom I solely provide advice for and whom lack to comprehend that friendship is a two-way street. In a sense, relationships resemble a business, and I must be given something in return for my services to my friends. I only ask for ideal friends who are thoughtful of my needs and wants, just as I am for theirs. Luckily, I have been exposed to many kind-hearted people during my time in college, and I am finding more and more people who have similar versions of my ethics. It seems that both myself and the individuals who chose to go to this college have alike ethics because we were all attracted to this university for a reason. Rider University appeals to me because it attributes ethics of friendship, service, and education, which are all important concepts to me.

My reality, knowledge, and ethics are all unique parts of me that help create my philosophy of life. I am someone who thinks about how my actions will impact the lives of others, and I utilize my reality, knowledge, and ethics in doing so. I look forward to continuing to have different instances mold and shape these three primary propositions. Reality, knowledge, and ethics are eternally adjustable, and I do not think that I will ever stop modifying my visions of these fundamentals because they will always follow me throughout my life.