Examining Me

I am Avianna Gabrielle Smith. My name is Christian based (being that I come from a Christian family ) Avianna meaning living in grace, and Gabrielle meaning God is my strength, so I’ve always to let those meanings represent how I live life. 

Since I was little, I’ve always been  on the calmer, quiter, and very introverted side, but all while still being confident in whatever I do. Most times, I can manage calm during frustrating situations and in situations that most people would get nervous for, like tests— might even come off a little stoic. Maybe I’m a tad bit shy, but I just like to be on the quieter side because I like to observe people,— even the littlest details— listen, and then later try to deduce possible theories (I know, that probably sounds weird). I think the fact that I’m observant and inquisitive in this way will really help me in my future career in medicine as I am in the Sophie Davis Program. This trait has also helped me to be wiser, and give good advice,, and has made me a person who just likes to have really deep conversations (which I do a lot with my two older siblings) especially about questionable topics, and think philosophically a lot, learn new things,  and think open mindedly in which being that I am Chirstian, I think it’s hard for a lot of Christians to be open minded. I’m confident in the sense that if given a task, I’ll say I can do it, even if it’s hard because I like a challenge. Plus, I know myself, and I know that I can do anything as long as I put my mind to it.

I really love drawing and cartooning, and try to do it with any free time I get. It helps me to pay attention to details, enhance my focus, activate my imagination, and express my own creativity and thoughts. If I didn’t really want to be a doctor and had so much work, I’d probably do cartooning as a second career. I also like playing sports, and just doing anything that keeps me active because I get really bored easily. I have a passion to work with kids which is why I want to be a pediatric ophthalmologist, only working with kids. Don’t get me wrong, adults and teenagers are great too, but being around kids allows me to think of creative ways to entertain them and teach them, and  it just allows me to bring out my child-like personality. I’ve worked with and taught kids a lot in programs at school, and at church, so I think it’s really awesome to see how their mind works. It’s very sad when any person has a sickness and is suffering, but it makes me even more sad to see a child suffering, which is why I have a passion for medicine with kids.

People wouldn’t know a lot about me because I’m a very reserved person, and rarely share my personal feelings, even with my family. Since I am a pretty calm person, I think a lot of people say I have a very nonchalant, “go with the flow” attitude, but little would they know that I actually think a lot into things in my head, and sometimes think of different possible scenarios that could occur. Some things that really infuriates me is when I’m either being interrupted or not listened to, or my own opinions are made out to seem completely wrong. It’s hard to have a good conversation when people are like that, and it just makes it provoking and frustrating. Also, something people wouldn’t know about me, and wouldn’t  know that this really bothers me, is that I don’t like the words or phrases “genius”, “perfect,” or “you’re literally good at anything.” I know it’s weird, but for one, I’m terrible and super awkward when receiving compliments, but also I found some times those phrasing or words were used against me, and I think those words just hold a ton of expectations and pressure which I don’t like because I just want to do me. With that being said, ironically, my family does view me that way. They also see me as confident, and very stoic. My mom likes to tell me of how I was born, and then tell me that I was born for a great purpose, and that I’m a leader, and have a lot of influence over my two older siblings who are 7 and 12 years older than me. She also sees me as mature, along with a lot of people I know. I think my siblings see me as wise and a good advice giver because for some reason they come to me with all their problems and complaints, and my brother especially, weirdly listens to everything I say. Likewise, my friends do the same. Thus, I think my friends and family also see me as a very trusting, and just person.

Some of my weakness is that I am a little to skeptical of people, but I try to point out the great qualities of people, I can be very blunt, which I don’t always necessarily think is a bad think, I lack a lot a patience, so I get annoyed pretty easily, which is something I’m definitely working on, and I struggle working with groups because I know most projects are graded as a group, and I’m use to doing well on my own, so when someone in a group isn’t doing any work, or messes of a project, it bothers me a lot, and sometimes there’s just a lack of communication. However, some strengths include that I am hard working, I work well under pressure and could think critically, I can adapt easily and quickly, and I can bounce back from any downfall or failure pretty quickly, and tell myself to do better. This last strength that I stated was tested recently when I faced a challenge academically, and it was really disappointing, but I bounced back really quickly and worked hard. Even during basketball games in highschool, even if I was doing bad for a moment or we lost, I bounced back quickly and uplifted my teammates and myself to do better. My mom always says “it is what it is, but it’s what you do with what it is that matters,” and that’s something I choose to live by.