Running head: Ages 20+

Journal #4
Raquel Munoz
March 28, 2015
H.D. 300

. Franklin

Running head: Ages 20+

2
Interview

Interviewer: 32 year old woman

I interviewed a friend of mine. I decided to look for a person around this age group to figure out
if we had some differences or similarities at this point of our life.
1. Do you like your job?
Yes, I like my job. I enjoy waking up every morning and going to work. All jobs have its
challenges; I go to work, do my job and go home.
2. Do you plan to go back to school?
Yes, I want to but debating whether to go now or wait until my children grow up a little more.
3. What is something you have change within yourself throughout the past years?
At work, I am trying to stay away from gossip. At home, not caring so much about what other
people think or have to say about me.
4. What are your strengths?
My strengths include having patience, good communication skills (although theres always room
to improve this skill) and I can multi- task.
5. What are you weaknesses?
My husband always tells me that I have to stop interrupting other people when they are talking.
6. Do you have goals?
I think we all have goals in life. Mine are finishing school and being able to provide a good life
for my family.
What was your challenging in past years?
years ago I was pregnant with my third child and at the same time, I was losing my house in
fore-closure. During that period, I had a lot of anxiety and was falling into depression.

7.
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Running head: Ages 20+

8. If you had the opportunity to go back in time, what would you change about your life?
I would have made wiser decisions and waited a little bit longer to have children, college before
marriage. Even though I married at a young age, I am happy and content.
9. When your children grow up, what will you advice them to do?
To continue school. I will always advice them to go to college.
10.What do you think keeps a relationship strong?
I have been married for almost 12 years. What keeps a relationship strong is love and
communication. It is no longer about you, but also your partner. Its very important to first
become a good friend before entering a relationship. After all these years my husband and I have
learned to become friends. Also making time to ourselves and being able to connect without
having the children around is very important.
The woman falls into Erickson Stage, Intimacy vs. Isolation. She learned to integrate
work and love. She loves her work setting and has a good relationship with her husband, children
and others. I didn't see any negative issues. Even though she married young, had children young,
and had lots of obstacles in her marriage life, she told me she was happy and content. I do not
relate myself to her since I did not married at a young age nor had children until I was 30 years
old.
I see how my friends cultural values have change for her children. She was mentioning
that she will advice and encourage her children to continue college and not marry at a young age
just like she did. Also her socioeconomic changed, from having a house in a nice area to selling it
and moving to an apartment at the same time of being pregnant. That really changed her family's
life. She said that she encouraged herself and having faith is what made her be strong when
dealing with all those changes in her life.

Running head: Ages 20+

From reading The Last Lecture (2008), I found similarities from my interviewer. I see
how she wants her children to grow and be educated. She puts others before her and herself
wanting to grow without having neither remorse nor regret. As Pausch was mentioning What
makes me unique? (Pausch.2008 p.9), he had a hard time thinking about it. This is an important
quote to me because, we always think about others first before us. I also had a hard time thinking
what makes me unique". As for my interviewer, what makes her unique is having patience and
helping others without expecting to get help back. Its not about how to achieve your dreams.
It's about how to lead your life (Pausch.2008 p.205). I do think that if someone goes through the
wrong path, obviously they won't achieve anything in life. Sometimes having a dream is not
necessarily accomplishing it but the path and the way you lead your life is what makes you fulfill
those dreams. Despite my interviewer's struggles, she was very assertive and still having hope/
faith to continue her schooling and trying to lead her children through the right path. She said if
you work hard for it, you can achieve anything in life.
I see how I can relate to the book in some ways. I always have tried to make good and
wise decisions in life. Obviously there has been times where there has been obstacles but I reflect
and think what can I do to continue my life goal, which is what I'm doing now (returning back to
school). It's about the way you lead your life, what matters. The life experiences you take with
you and the memories you gain and create. Very touching book.

Running head: Ages 20+

Reference

Pausch, R., & Zaslow, J. (2008). The last lecture.