Me vs. Me

-Aol Pictures

Wow, I constantly think about who I am and why I do the things I do. To start of with let me give you a bit of a background check about me. I was born on May 24, 1987 at 7:12 am at Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn, New York into a very strong religious, Jamaican and Honduran family. I came out with a smirk on my face, looking at everyone right in there faces ready to explore. I was taught very early about many things. I started taking the public transportation at eight years old, at this time I was in the fourth grade. I became pretty independent, in the morning before school, I had my student metrocard, and I would stop off at the corner store ,sometime, to get a hero for lunchtime. My mother made sure that I was not becoming too independent at that age, I still had to be inside before the street lights came on(laughing). Many times I get asked to describe myself in one word (especially in applications or interviews) and to this day I still can not answer with just one word. I have come to realize that I am a complex individual. I am a friendly person, but to some people I come off as someone who thinks "she is all that" or someone who is just full of herself, just because I do not walk with a big grin on my face. I am just always focused, it can be whether I am thinking hard about something or "tunnel vision" comes over me. Tunnel vision is when I have one goal or destination in mind, and everything else around becomes nonexistent, although I remain alert about my surroundings. This can be one of the words to describe me, Focused. I never have a problem saying I can not go out tonight because I have a paper due or "no I can not hang tonight because I have some errands to run," when I have something to do, I have something to do and I try to make sure that I am not distracted from accomplishing whatever it is that I have to get done. I also learned how to adapt to my surroundings quite well. My mommy has always told me that it seems as if I been here before. I am able to adapt to my environment quickly and effectively. I am able to have conversations with people who are in their 60's and 70's right down to little children. I have a mature sense that I not only notice but others notice it as well. Now, do not get me wrong, I am a very goofy person, I burp out loud (with no shame), I talk and laugh very loudly, and I believe this was all adopted from my household and other family members. Aside from that, I was brought up with a known fact that there is a time and place for everything. Often times my self-esteem gets confused with conceit. As people get to know me, it becomes more evident that I am not always about me, I give my care to people who are sick and in need. I was brought up around people who told me to always have high standards for myself and always strive to become the best. Through my encounters, I have developed a carefree attitude, I do not think I picked it up from anybody, I think I just try not to let things bother me as easily. I have an optimistically determined attitude, but I also stick to what is reality, my friends and family know that they can come to me for any type of advice, and regardless of whether or not I was in that situation, I am able to put myself aside to help them out. This is a trait I definitely picked up from my mother. I have always been a dramatic and sarcastic person, this is something that I have been told. I have an odd way of letting someone know that they are making no sense to me or that I am just not interested in what they are talking about, and in a different case, I can let someone know very "dramatically" that they are the funniest person on earth (use of sarcasm and exaggeration). Many people do not think that I have a loving side, because I always appear so serious, but when I decide to love someone, I LOVE HARD, and I let that person know everyday that I feel blessed to have them in my life. On the other hand, when someone has betrayed me in any sort of way, I cut them clean off, not that I hold grudges toward people but I have nothing further to say to them, and I have no animosity but we just can not be like we were before. I am very respectful to people, especially to my elders. I was raised to say Ms.,Mrs., or Mr., to anyone older, that is outside my family and close friends circle. When people notice that I have this habit they try to break it and say "no, no it is okay, you can call me by my first name," all I end up doing is putting that additive before their first name. I enjoy company but there are some days where I just do not want to be bothered, I much rather sit and watch my Nickelodeon or (taking it back in the day) Flintstones and yes, even the news (sometime). I would love to tell everyone what I see myself doing in 15 years from now, but I much rather live it than try to foresee, I want to make a reality out of my dream. I love myself more and more each day because I am versatile. I do see myself in many different ways depending on the day of the week it is, but Shanelle never changes WHO she is. I am proud of the things I have done and I live my life with no regrets. I look in the mirror each day with hopes that the person looking back at me is just as proud as the one looking in the mirror.
Watch This!!!!