The Proust Questionnaire is a list of 35 questions that was made popularized by French writer, Marcel Proust. He believed that answering questions like these allow one to reveal more of his or her own personality. The first time I have heard about this questionnaire was just a few days ago. The questions intrigued me because most of them require deep personal reflection and others are types of questions that we don't normally think about on a day-to-day basis. I had so much fun responding to these and I encourage all of you to try to reflect on these questions as well!

1.What is your idea of perfect happiness?

I'm not sure how I feel about the word perfect. I think it is used too lightly... But the closest I can get to perfect happiness? That would probably just be any moment when I am stress free. Those moments when I can relax and let my mind completely unwind, not having to think about anything. Writing, reading, and painting really do that for me. There's another moment that I can think about too. This might sound strange, but whenever I go to the beach, I feel the need to stand by the water and just stare at the waves. I don't know why but those moments really get to me (in a good way). It's like everything else disappears but the sound of the water crashing against the sand and I'm reminded of how beautiful nature is.

2.What is your greatest fear?

Drowning... Or being caught in a fire. I've had nightmares about both. Not fun!

3.What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I'm too hard on myself, especially when it comes to my writing skills. Writing is without a doubt the thing that I am most passionate about but the fact that I beat myself up so much about it makes the process difficult sometimes. It seems like it is easier for others to see the potential that I have than for me to see it with my own eyes. I'm working hard to try and get out of that mindset though.

4.What is the trait you most deplore in others?

The fact that some people believe that their opinions are the only ones that matter. That is something that has always bothered me.

5.Which living person do you most admire?

There are a lot of people that I admire in my own personal life. I can go on for days talking about my family members, friends, or teachers. A person that who is not a part of my personal life that I admire is Robert Downey Jr. He struggled a lot in his past but what is so wonderful about him is that he did not let those struggles define him for the rest of his life. He is the perfect example of the phrase, "Your current situation is not your final destination." He gives so much to charities and has also become a role model for young kids all over the world. I think we can all learn a lot from him.

6.What is your greatest extravagance?

We're talking about material goods here, I'm guessing? Hm... Probably my laptop. I love this thing, don't get me wrong, but when I was in the process of buying it I had a slight mental breakdown right in the middle of Best Buy! I needed it for school though. I am really happy that I chose this one.

7.What is your current state of mind?

I'm grateful. This semester at school has been one of the most incredible times of my life. I've never had so many classes at once that have allowed me to think in ways that I never thought possible. I've not only opened my eyes to so many new things, but I've also had to basically re-learn things that I thought I already knew. There are classes that you take that improve your skills and then there are classes that you take that make you a better person in general. All of my classes this semester have made me a better person by giving me a new mindset.

8.What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

I would probably say gentleness... Hear me out. Being gentle or poise is a great thing. Obviously it is because it's a virtue. In this case, the vice would be aggression. I think aggression is so frowned upon, especially in women. Now, I'm not saying that I condone all forms of aggression. I think that there are both practical and impractical forms of aggression. But for me, being a woman, I hate the stigma that women have to be gentle and poise in everything that they do. If I am mad at someone, I have the right to show my anger/aggression. If I play a sport, I should have just as much of a right to be aggressive as a male player would.

9.On what occasion do you lie?

There are a couple of occasions in which I'll lie. There are times when I feel like the truth can really hurt somebody in a drastic way. I'll admit, in those situations, I'd rather just not tell the whole truth or not comment at all. And, being a writer, I also "lie" in story telling. To me, this type of lie isn't the same as the normal term we are used to. In a fiction story, I would still tell the truth, but it wouldn't be my truth, if that makes sense...

10.What do you most dislike about your appearance?

My feet. They aren't things that I think about much at all. Whenever I happen to look at my feet though... Let's just say that I can be pretty critical when it comes to them.

11.Which living person do you most despise?

I'd rather not say names here. I don't appreciate disrespectful people, criminals, liars, or people who believe they are better than everyone else. That is all I'll say.

12.What is the quality you most like in a man?

Respectfulness, generosity, intelligence, insightfulness, and the ability to make people laugh.

13.What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Pretty much the same as the qualities that I most appreciate in men. But I also appreciate when a woman is strong and isn't afraid to stand up for herself.

14.Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

"Like", "No joke", "I kid you not", "You know what I mean", "Oh my God", "Tomorrow is a new day", "It happens"

15.What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Obviously, my family is included in this. I don't know what kind of person I would be without my family. But I would say that I have to mention my dog too. Some people may not understand why I have such a deep love for my dog. She has saved me. My parents decided to let me have a dog in hopes that it would help me cope with my seasonal depression. Pappy has done that and so much more for me. She makes me so happy every single day and I don't know what I would do without her.

16.When and where were you happiest?

When I'm at home reading or writing. I'm happiest when I'm spending time with family as well, especially over the holidays.

17.Which talent would you most like to have?

Sometimes I wish I could dance well.

18.If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would change how much I care about what other people think of me. I don't really care too much about what people think in regards to my looks, but in regards to who I am as a person, I care a lot. Maybe to a fault because I have always been such a people-pleaser and I often put the happiness of others over my own happiness. I say this in regards to people who really know me. When it comes to people I don't know, whether they choose to like me or not is on them. I don't lose sleep over that.

19.What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I have a couple. First, I am proud of the way that I have been able to deal with my depression/anxiety problems over the years. I don't let those things ruin me. Secondly, I once had a teacher say that I was an inspiration to him. That was one of the best things that anyone has ever said about me. Knowing that my personality was admirable to someone I respected so much meant the world to me.

20.If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

I would probably come back as a fox or an otter...

21.Where would you most like to live?

I enjoy the type of area that I live in now. I don't think I could ever live in a city... That would be way too crowded and busy for my liking.

22.What is your most treasured possession?

I have a stuffed animal rabbit that I got for Easter one year when I was a baby. Her name is Bunny. It's strange but she offers a sense of security for me. She is very close to my heart.

23.What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Sometimes I tell people what depression feels like to me. It is almost like being stuck underwater and not being able to save yourself and the people above the water can't hear or see you so they have no clue that you are struggling. That is what the lowest depth of misery is to me.

24.What is your favorite occupation?

Although I don't know if I would be a good teacher, I think it is one of the most incredible occupations. Some of the most influential people that I look up to have been teachers and professors that I've had over the years. At the same time, though, it is probably one of the most undervalued jobs. I can't stand the disrespect that teachers get on a day-to-day basis.

25.What is your most marked characteristic?

That I am an "old soul". I've been told repeatedly that I am wise beyond my years in the way that I think.

26.What do you most value in your friends?

Being able to tell my friends about something that bothers me and not feeling bad for talking about it. I cherish my friends who truly listen to me and support me no matter how I'm feeling.

27.Who are your favorite writers?

There's a lot... But just to name a few: Joseph Heller, Stephen King, David Sedaris, and J.K. Rowling.

28.Who is your hero of fiction?

Probably Hermione Granger, Christine Daae, and Tony Stark/Ironman

29.Which historical figure do you most identify with?

That's a tough question... I think I can relate to Gandhi and his views on peaceful protests. I don't think that violence solves much of anything. I know I did mention aggression previously but like I said, I think there are practical forms of aggression and forms of it that aren't so practical.

30.Who are your heroes in real life?

My family members (especially my parents), some teachers that I look up to, and the friends who have stood by me through everything.

31.What are your favorite names?

Charlotte and Nellie for girl's names. James and Alexander for boy's names.

32.What is it that you most dislike?

Liquid medicine... Just thinking about that stuff makes me cringe. Oh! And I really dislike being cold as well.

33.What is your greatest regret?

There are so many things that I wish I said to people in the past but didn't and I probably won't ever be able to tell them.

34.How would you like to die?

In my sleep at a really old age.

35.What is your motto?

Try to keep an open mind that allows you to treat other people with kindness. You never know what goes on in other people's lives. Being kind in a society that is so driven by hatred is not weakness, but strength. Don't be a contributing factor of someone else feeling like that don't belong in this world.