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Yakhya Seck
Debra Jizi
UWRT 1103
06 November 2015

Self-Authorship Essay 2: Who Do I Want to Become?

I am an adult student. I transferred to UNC at Charlotte in 2012. I decided this change in my life in order
to accomplish my dream, to finally do in the future something I like. Practicing journalism for few years was
not something I enjoyed doing. My family and friends drove me to that career path, because, I had lot of
knowledge about almost everything from politics to sports. They thought I should fit the position. In the coming
five years, I would like to live my life differently by doing thinks I really like, not thinks that others have
planned for me.

In Five years, I imagine my life very different from now. Im really excited about it. It really feels weird
for me to write about my life without any exterior influences to shape or guide my future. I remember, few
years ago, when I just got out of high school, I have chosen to register as a political science major, but my
friends and family made me change my mind. I finally become a History and Geography major. I was not
finally feeling confident to make my own decisions. Following their advices, I end up being a journalist against
my will. Nevertheless, since I transferred at UNCC, I dont ask them for advice anymore. Im not scared of
failure no more, because of the decisions I made.
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I will be engaged in my future career as a diplomat. This was my dream job since I was little. I always
gave my best at school to succeed so I can one day achieve this goal, but Ive been mostly misguided. My top
core value, sophistication will be very decisive in my future career, in the sense that, I will be working on
getting best deals for my country in a variety of negotiations. My three character strengths will help me pursue
happiness in my future position. Using my top three strengths, modesty and humility, caution, prudence and
discretion and gratitude will help me succeed in my career. In my opinion, they all three fit in the diplomat job
requirements and qualities. For example, working in a war zone, I may need to be cautious, prudent. The
secrecy of information I deal with in a daily basis may require a lot of discretion. Imagine, representing the
United States government in a world negotiation for the reduction of the emissions of greenhouse gas. As a
diplomat, I will try to help African industries to use clean energy, so they wont add more bad gas in the
atmosphere. I will also pressure China to reduce more than half its pollution and buy more time for the US
companies to swift to a clean energy without huge financial troubles.
I have a positive relationship with my family. Actually, I spend more time at work than with my family.
Therefore, I would like to change that within the next coming five years. I really enjoy their company. I wish I
could work less or with regular job so I can spend more time with my wife and kids. I have in mind several
things I would do with them such as travelling around the world, take them to places they never been or they
thought they will never be. I want also within a short-term take them visit places across the country like Disney
world, Las Vegas, Hawaii and California. Being fan of tourism, I would also, take them overseas in nice places
such as, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Paris, Cancun and South Africa. I intend to change some of our bad habits like
turning our backs to the gym, because of luck of time. Im a fun of home cook food and healthy food, but I
would like my family and I eat out more often, discover new variety of food.
I truly believe that my life and work has a meaning. I first value my family and in in second position
work. Therefore, its not easy to have the right balance between this two. I need the financial earnings from my
job to take care of my family and they need me for non-financial needs as well. I mostly find a meaning in my
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family. While Im working and going to school at the same time, Im trying to make them fit in my schedule by
spending time with them. I agree that it is not easy, but, my family is an essential part of my life and I tried and
will try to make them happy. Delaying my graduation illustrate, how I put family first. I had to work full time
and register part time at school so I can take care of them and slowly achieve my goal to graduate.
For my accomplishments and achievements, I think that I successfully find the right balance that keep
me going and make my family and I happy. I also do believe that I achieved the desired results, socially and
professionally knowing that there is always room for improvement. When I look back, I really feel proud of
myself, of what I achieved personally or with either my friends or my family. This coming sentence summarize
the feeling I have after all these years. I did it and I did it well. I remember, after I get married, my wife wanted
to spend more time with me, but I could not, because I was working twelve hours a day. We fought over that
until I finally decided to go back to a regular shift. I felt bad about it, and I knew I was wrong as well.
Personally, I did not wanted to work long hours, because I knew it might have bad consequences on my health
and it was very challenging.

Learning about the PERMA model, my three characters strengths and core values has helped me
understand my person. Applying them in my life I believe will bring more happiness and joy in my life and
around me. By rejecting any kind of negativism, the PERMA model help see life in a positive angle.

To My Readers: From Kristopher Sanders

In my last paragraph, I felt that my accomplishments and achievements are not coming out as clearly as
I had hoped.
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I really liked the sentience where you mentioned, I did it and I did it well. I believe this is a great
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way for to prove to yourself that you have the determination you need to be successful in the next
five years. But you focused a lot on your past and present accomplishments rather than what you
hope to accomplish in the future. I suggest adding more information on what you hope to
accomplish/achieve during next five years.
I also think that, the readers may suggest me more precise words in some of my sentences if they think
that I was not precise enough.
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In my opinion, you were very precise when constructing your sentences. You were able to clearly
convey a message about what you wanted to become and how you will use the PERMA model to
achieve your goals over the next five years.

From: Nicholas Turtle

In my last paragraph, I felt that my accomplishments and achievements are not coming out as clearly as
I had hoped?
-I think this paper really shows the struggles you have and would like to fix in the coming years. I think
you clearly expressed your career goals as a diplomat and goals for your family in the paper. Try keeping to
accomplishment paragraph to only positive things youll do these next 5 years.

I also think that, the readers may suggest me more precise words in some of my sentences if they think
that I was not precise enough?
-I think as long as the idea comes across the wording is good, there were a few grammar errors, but i
believe you got your idea to your readers.
From: Desirae Rowell
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In my last paragraph, I felt that my accomplishments and achievements are not coming out as clearly as
I had hoped.
I think you included future accomplishments and achievements all throughout the essay and you should
just reiterate them again in the last paragraph. I like how you talked about your achievements now. You should
add what you want to accomplish either. But I could fully understand what you believe are your
accomplishments.
I also think that, the readers may suggest me more precise words in some of my sentences if they think
that I was not precise enough.