MBTI Excercise

Amy: The strict and aggressive Wolf

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator I am a strict and aggressive wolf that speaks over others, dismisses ideas that haven't been proven, hold others to my high standards, and only seem to notice or comment on the flaws of people or projects. But on a positive note I can be a hard worker, contribute highly to team efforts, set and meet deadline goals, am an excellent problem solver, organize projects and develop efficient systems, and communicate honestly and directly. Wow what a mouth full! While many of these qualities both positive and negative may be true at times, I do not completely agree with my label as an ESTJ. Some of the ESTJ personality qualities are a bit extreme and when learning about the other letter types I definitely felt as if I could relate better toward others.

After our class presentation I learned a lot about my personality qualities: especially in leadership type situations. It is totally normal that I do not agree with all the qualities listed for a ESTJ, but it is also extremely important that I can learn to use my weaknesses and work with them towards improvement. I should also use my strengths to better working environments and work better with others to bring out success in whatever endeavors I choose to pursue.

The quote about restricting people when adding labels is exactly what I was thinking about the entire class time last Wednesday. Some people may fit certain labels or stereotypes, but in regards to myself I definitely do not think that is my case. I do not believe my MBTI perfectly describes me, although I do see some traits very prominent to who I am. I agree with the qualities of extraversion, some of the traits of sensing, 75% on the traits of thinking, and somewhat with the way I judge or perceive things. But I've learned to accept who I am because that is simply the way that I am. I did notice something interesting about our presentation: certain MBTI types were no doubt viewed more positively than others. Examples as easy as extroverts and introverts were distinctly seen one as the bad, loud, and controlling one, while the other had to deal with all the craziness. But I think direct statements such as the ones with not so positive qualities should be re-worded or at least explained the way they were in our class.

Societies all over the world want people to have labels, because it just makes it easier to identify differences and distinct groups of people. But the problem is that not everyone fits into these categories. At least I know I don't. We live in a world filled with beautiful diversity. People behave the way they do due to experiences, current situations, and or natural behavioral qualities. but there is no way to know an individuals exact attributes. My proposal is that instead of focusing on labeling people, we should just embrace differences and create a culture of unity through diversity. We are all different and that is perfect. We were meant to all be unique in our own ways to learn ways to cooperate and challenge ourselves everyday. Now it is our jobs to use our disadvantages as advantages and seek change to make the world a better place for all.

Welcome

Hey everyone! My name is Amy Monzon and I'm a Freshman, communications major here at Santa Clara University. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and can't imagine myself living in any other state. The weather, beaches, food, and the overwhelming amount of things to do are simply irreplaceable. Being from Los Angeles I love the city atmosphere but also being able to escape and find a cool place to hike while driving down Pacific Coast Highway. Moving from Southern to Northern California has been quite a challenge. I was use to the hustle and bustle of being in a city and have now been trying to adapt to a more suburban surrounding while living in Santa Clara. Exploration and finding my interests and new forms of entertainment around campus will be key the next couple of years. Northern California residents assure me of the abundant amount of things to do, but I have yet to be convinced that Northern California is better than Southern California. 

*Port in Great Guana Cay, Bahamas*

Traveling and trying new things in new places are some of my favorite things to do. So far my absolute favorite place I've ever visited was Great Guana Cay in the Bahamas. I visited this past summer and immediately fell in love with the people and the food. I probably ate some kind of lobster or seafood everyday; it was incredible. We would travel from the island we were staying at to other nearby islands to participate in a wide range of activities. I tried lobster fishing, fed pigs on the shore, went snorkeling, and even jumped off the top levels of boats in the middle of the ocean. Overall some of my most memorable experiences have been times where I was challenged and forced out of my comfort zone in some way. Taking these risks and putting myself out there has really paid off and I cant wait to see what new adventures life has in stored for me. 

*Marymount High School, Los Angeles*

 Another time I was challenged but was able to grow from my experiences was high school. I attended an all-girls Catholic school, Marymount High School; because of my life-changing experience at that institution I decided to attend SCU. High school not only offered incredible academic opportunities, but I don't think I would be the person I am today if it wasn't for all my extracurricular involvement. From being part of the associated student body, playing golf and basketball, creating a conference for middle school girls from all over Los Angeles, and doing community service; high school really did change me. I loved being involved, discovering what type of leader I was, and from then helping make a difference in my community. I hope to achieve that during my college years as well. 

SCU is a school that focuses on the importance of community. One of the main reasons I decided to take the emerging leaders class was to learn new ways of being involved to make a difference in my new community. Working together with others and being my own kind of leader have become two important aspects of my life. Practicing those skills now and being able to take them out into the real world after graduation; I know will benefit any career path I choose to take on. I'm really excited to see what's in store for me during my time here and hopefully the many things I can contribute to making a difference.