Open to Interpretation

Open to Interpretation,

By Eoin Tunstead

PINK

Plans Home Orders Choices Thought Parenting Decisions Education Experience Establishment

Open to Interpretation, my plan was to explore society; looking into the various aspects of peoples’ lives on a broad scale. From the way we say certain things; why we make decisions, do we do things a specific way because of where we come from, or where we were educated? How our parents beliefs’ and actions can lead to effect our own. How thoughts and opinions change by what is happening around us, what our friends may think, the constant rally of news stories, and wild media coverage. Our governments influence the leaders, who are appointed by us to make decisions for you and others. I will try to source and gather some of this information where possible. And try to share what I may find with you.

Open to Interpretation Survey

1. Please try not to use your name as to keep your answers confidential; the questions may be difficult to answer but if you can try and answer as honestly as possible that would be a great help to me.

Can you state one memory/event/moment/thing, of your childhood that stands out and that you believe, shaped you into the person you are today?

2. Which Type of Schools did you attend? - Select more than one if necessary: State School - County School - Academy - Independent School - Catholic School Comprehensive -Church Of England - Foundation School - Community School Private School - Voluntary School - Special School 3. Do you feel that your parents or guardian made your decisions considering your education, or did they leave the choice up to you?

4. Did your parent’s or guardian introduce you to a form of religion from a young age?

Yes - No 5. What type of person would you describe yourself as?

- Pick 3 answers.

Loud - Friendly - Social - Quiet - Bubbly - Anti-Social - Deflated - Vacant - Uneasy Extrovert Confident - Introvert - Popular - Warm - Other (please specify) 6. Without using names, perhaps use an alias if necessary, can you please describe the person who made the largest impact on your life, be it for the worse or the better and why this was the case?

7. Do you believe in a form of afterlife?

Yes - No - Black Death - Blue Skies 8. You walk into a shop to buy a paper, which one do you buy?

The Independent - The Daily Mail - Daily Telegraph - The Times - The Guardian The Daily Star - The Sun 9. Can you please give four words you think best describe your personality?

10. Can you give me a short description about your life so far, have you achieved what you thought you would, how do you feel about your childhood, how do you feel about your self right now in the present. Please be as descriptive as you can, but even a few words would be great, just a little paragraph, or a long one which ever you have time for, then lastly can you sign off your paragraph with an alias or made up superhero/super villain name that best suits you?

Do you beli

eve in a for m

of afterlife

?

Yes

48.9%

No

37.8%

* Black Death Blue Skies

6.7% 6.7%

“I have loved my life so far met some good people had some good laughs.

Haven’t achieved what I wanted but I should of done better at school, But no regrets still young just living my life. I feel good about what’s going on in the present wouldn’t want to change it.. Optimus Prime”

Optimus Prime

“I never thought I’d have as much knowledge about the world by now. Or that I’d be doing what I’m doing. I love where I am in life, kind of going somewhere but still taking it at my own pace. I’m glad I got into what I do because it’s made me look at the world in a very different way. Yours sincerely, The son of Oden”

The Son of Oden

Interactive Poster: The idea behind these posters was to attempt to get people to interact with them, without forcing them in any form of real direction with what to write/draw in the box. I was hoping for people to perhaps react to the image, so it would be thoughts on the models appearance “Judging a book by its cover�. As I had looked into how people felt about themselves within the survey, so finding out what people thought of a stranger just be their appearance was of real interest to me.

My child hood was unsteady, separation of parents, a lot of moving schools, a lot of average grades, bullied, mugged. Once I was settled and grounded, at about the age of 14, the bubble my mum had attempted to create for me was popped, and I started to experience new things. Done a lot of growing up, I began to take Martial Arts and fitness very seriously, I felt all of the good and bad things about being a teenager in the 21st century. Under aged drunken nights in the cold, walking EVERYWHERE, friendships at their strongest, A LOT of spare time, education treated more as social time, the race to lose your virginity. This was then followed by more growing up, by 16 I got my first real part time job at Greggs bakers, and education was no longer a game, studies became more focused, I began to make decisions that would carve the path for my career and essentially in this money orientated world, my life. 17, I achieved my blackbelt in Chinese kick boxing, a really sentimental important achievement in my life, and moved up from greggs bakers to begin working in Debenhams part time. Then I turned 18, I gained access to NIGHTCLUBS! And LEGAL DRINKING! I grew more immature, de-evolved, and was hooked for a short period to the nightlife, clubbing 3 times a week, I quickly burnt myself out and done some more growing up. I got into the university I aspired to get into, on the course I wanted, Now I stand here at the age of 19, and looking back on myself feel I am quite happy, I have seen some of the world to and I believe I am a good person, I have mastered a martial art, I know how to cook, clean, maintain myself ect.

I achieved decent grades at GSCE and great grades at A level. I have felt love, heartbreak, success and loss, have built strong friendships, and believe I am on the right path towards leading a constructive successful life, despite my unsteady childhood. Although I am not happy with the way the world revolves around money. I am kept content. At least I’m not starving in a 3rd world country.... OOH and P.S. I just got massive deja vu with having to write all this, could that suggest its something that’s gone through my mind before? Maybe the idea that I may have questioned myself within my own life before contradicts all the positive things I just said, Off me ‘ead. SAFE FAM! Kind regards, Grand Master Introspective.

Self Assessment It’s important you understand the content.

I am the concept.

To be able to start creating a survey to find out about how other peoples lives evolved due to certain events and moments along the years, including the life decisions made by their parents or guardians and then themselves as they got older. I thought to be able to invade peoples past with questions, I had to take a look at my own life.

So I decided to do a sort of self assessment, in the form of a time line from my earliest memories up to present day, rethinking events; moments, decisions, things I couldn’t control that I believe would have affected me and had a knock on effect to bring me to where I am today, the person I have become.

Without using names, perhaps use an alias if necessary, can you please describe the person who made the largest impact on your life, be it for the worse or the better and why this was the case?

Different friends at different times in my life 5/24/11 5:46PM granddad because he is very funny 5/24/11 4:03PM best mate through secondary school probably made the biggest impact on my life. Introduced me to a lot of new friends and all of us got into a similar lifestyle of constantly going drinking, smoking weed, partying etc. but still getting work done and preparing for the future. My lifestyle now revolves around this, im at uni and i study hard but know how to have a good time.

5/24/11 2:35PM My Cousin , she has been an amazing role model, a genuine listerner, a best friend, has the biggest heart. She has never judge, always been supportive and never told me if i was doing the wrong thing just was there to advice and help me if need it. She gave me a support network that i felt i never had has a young teenager being the oldest in a large family. Helping me to understand how to be a good daugther to my mum when i was going through the tyipcal teenage year. All in all just being a true friend.

5/24/11 2:29PM My father. Because even though he’s made mistakes in the past, he always put my sister and I first. He did what he did for the safety and security of my sister and I. He’s the person who made me feel I was safe no matter where I am. Even though I don’t feel he fully supports me 100%, he’s still going to be there for me.

5/24/11 1:49PM Mum & dad 5/24/11 1:46PM My father, when he was in my life and when he wasn’t. Him as a person and the choices he made in his life, which control my choices today. I would never want to live like him, and make the choices he has in his life.

5/24/11 1:34PM Mumsy made the biggest impact in my life, obviously shes brought me up from day but she never let me miss out, always provided me with the tools required to shaoe the future i want therefore she made it alot better than it could of been 5/24/11 1:26PM Mum - she’s done so much and i feel i have to live up to it some how.

5/24/11 1:24PM I’d rather not thanks 5/24/11 12:58AM I guess in a way my middle sister made the biggest impact on my life, she is two years older than me, we used to look identical as little girls and we inseparable, always dressed alike etc. When we moved across the world, leaving our eldest sister in Uni, I was only 7 and my sister brought held me tight the first night my parents had a massive fight and told me “I may not be (eldest sister’s name) but I’ll do the best I can to protect you and do what she always did for us” And she did, due to her constant protection I believe I became quite weak as a personality and was easily bullied or hurt, and unfortunately as we grew up, we grew apart and then started the long years of hatred towards each other, where she was the one that bullied and hurt me the most, and I - more physically stronger at this point, would hurt her in return, but not emotionally like she attacked me. In a way I blame her for a lot of depressions I have because she made me believe that my family didn’t care about me, she made me believe that I had no real friends, and she would constantly tell me that no one loved me because I was a horrible person, and those words have become the soundtrack to my life, no matter how hard I try to repress them. One christmas we had another fight and my dad sat us both down and told us to talk to each other about our problems in front of him, she told me that she felt unappreciated for the things she did do for me and a bunch of other things.

I couldn’t help crying not wanting to say anything because all I thought was that they didn’t care anyways so why bother. But miraculously we started to grow back together, and now, although she does get on my nerves still, she has become my pillar of strength again, and she has become my consciousness when I’m in hysterics. So in a way, she brought me down to my lowest points, but she’s helping me stay up now which I do thank her for.

5/24/11 12:47AM my mother 5/24/11 12:27AM Older sister, or my uncle.

5/24/11 11:57AM MUMMY, shes been a best friend and has kept me sane from day 1.

5/24/11 11:53AM My father 5/24/11 11:46AM better. helped me through some really bad times, always stuck by me, lifts me up when i feel down.

5/24/11 11:08AM This person has made the biggest impact on me due just for being there helping me out with finding a job and just generally surporting me 5/24/11 10:49AM My dad. He is wise. Whenever I asked/ask him about something he always knows the answer. Never told me that he doesnt know.

5/24/11 10:42AM mom and dad- I took all their good attribute. They always give me right to make my own chaises and have my opinion. some of my friend have a bad influence on me, but most off this was also my decisions. one of my friend is a prostitute- bad think of this is that I start to avoid mans.?( do not know is this is a bad think, but her stories for sure changed my point of view- fo life I mean) 5/24/11 8:26AM husband because in 55 years 34 have been spent working at getting through life together.

5/24/11 5:33AM I couldn’t separate between my mom and dad... My mum made me very caring loving & trusting. My dad made me think like Charles Darwin! But he also made me know what true anger was, breach of trust & that not every parent is just a parent... That they’ll put themselves first.

5/24/11 12:40AM View Responses My boyfriend made me into me but calmer because I’m confident that I’m loved.

5/24/11 12:14AM A close family member, i was seeing them going through the same things as me at the same time. I believed that if they could get through a certain situation then i could. I believe this had helped shape the person I am today. During bad times for me, there have been people close to me that have helped me see clear and get myself back on track.

5/23/11 11:31PM Myself.

5/23/11 11:06PM My mother taught me how to be the person I am - as she taught me manners, how to do things and she still is there for me now. Without her I would have a very different personality and lifestyle I guess.

5/23/11 10:42PM Probably my mum because although we sometimes didn’t get along that well, she’s always supported everything I’ve done and my choices in life so far.

5/23/11 10:23PM My brother. Because I used to worship the ground he walked on, but after growing up and spending less time around him, realising his emotional and pyhsically bullying was a sign of his insecure personality, this made the person I am today.

5/23/11 10:21PM

Did your parent’s or guardian introduce you to a form of religion from a young age?

Yes 51.1%

No 48.9%

Please try not to use your name as to keep your answers confidential; the questions may be difficult to answer but if you can try and answer as honestly as possible that would be a great help to me.

I don’t have a particular moment or event but I would say that what has shaped me most as a person is the love I was surrounded by my whole life. My family is the most important thing to me and it is because their love and support made me who I am.

6/13/11 7:53PM Can you state one memory/event/moment/thing, of your childhood Going to leave Santa a beer and a carrot for Rudolf at christmas, my Mum, that stands out and that you believe, shaped you into the person you clearly thinking i was old enough straight up told me not to bother as none of its are today? real. I learnt that day bullshit gets you nowhere.

6/2/11 10:29AM The moment I saw my dad physically hurt my mom. It scarred me for life My Year 11 Prom because I saw the people around me hurt and I wasn’t able to do anything 5/27/11 5:31PM to make it better. I was told to hide because they knew I’d be ruined for the best friend dying of cancer rest of my life if I saw. Well guess what, I’m still messed up. I don’t believe in 5/27/11 12:21AM happiness nor do I believe in love because I don’t know what it feels to feel Walking with my dad, brother and dogs in the countryside, we always had lots of loved nor did I ever see it. laughs and as a treat we would stop at a pub on route. I had freedom, a love of 5/24/11 1:49PM animals, fun and laughter and a close bond with my dad. these are all things I Chris sinden have now in my adult life.

5/24/11 1:46PM 5/27/11 10:14AM Sitting on the stairs to the upstairs and watching my mom and grandmother General progression through the latter stages of my teenage years. I felt that fighting, they were really angry and I remember I was scared. Its my earliest during these times it helped me to become a more defined person. memory and from when I was around 2 or 3. It made me hate fighting and 5/26/11 9:47PM arguing.

My Mother getting extremely angry at an innocent comment from my 4yr old 5/24/11 1:34PM self, whilst we were on a caravanning holiday, & she proceeded to kick me to the I believe a variety of experiences in football made me who i am today! washrooms & back! I remember this distinctly.

5/24/11 1:26PM 5/26/11 9:46PM No, it’s all a big mesh of different experiences that have done that. i remember being around family and friends a lot when i was younger and i think 5/24/11 1:24PM this had made me a people person and wanting to always be around people i’m My parents difforce close to.

5/24/11 12:58AM 5/26/11 7:31PM When I was around 4 or 5, I was at summer camp back in America, and The death of my Grandfather made me realise that you must make the most out we were going to the pool. So we all left the place to go to the bus, and the of life - and understand the importance of family, councillors told us not to run, but of course I was too excited to go to the pool 5/26/11 3:44PM so I ran along the pavement to the bus, tripped and flew forward, skidded was left on my own quite young at times but think that is why i am a certain across it face first and scratched have of my face nearly off. I don’t recall how amount independant long it took to heal, my family and friends chose never to take pictures of what 5/25/11 11:01PM happened, but now, anything traumatic that happens to my face leaves it’s Catching a glipse of the loch ness monster. mark, bruises have small parts that stay behind as a reminder of yet another 5/25/11 8:41PM accident. And as of then I’m not always careful but I do have a very bad worst Childhood illness made me much stronger and unprejudiced towered disability case scenario mind when it comes to the dangers I face just by walking 5/24/11 9:40PM across a road, or running down an escalator etc.

I moved to a school closer to my house. this meant that all my friends are all 5/24/11 12:47AM quite local. This was definitely a big turning point in my life. my mum was always there. and took us out to museums,galleries holidays 5/24/11 8:28PM etc. and always tried to do this for my family when my mother and i moved in with her new partner, who is now her husband.

5/24/11 12:27AM this was very positive for me because of the ways in which he is different to my Multiculturalism; having friends of every colour, race, ethnicity, belief etc dad and brought new perspectives and new interests into my life which i feel 5/24/11 11:57AM developed me as a person.

Being let down or hurt by people who i thought where close too me made me 5/24/11 8:01PM a stronger person. father had a hear attack at 40 made me grow up quick 5/24/11 11:53AM 5/24/11 7:52PM The shouting I received from my father upon poor GCSE results causing me to I didn’t meet my half sister til she was two years old because my dad remarried pull my socks up and become a high achiever. and i dint meet him til i was 6. I still remember the day i walked in and saw my 5/24/11 11:46AM sister in her cot, she was the tiniest baby because she was born premature, i sitting on my kitchen table, talking and gossiping on a pretend telephone. couldn’t believe how small she was!. Knowing that for the rest of my life i’d be 5/24/11 11:08AM a role model to this tiny person who was just a little blank slate is one of the Starting secondary school meeting new people making new friends they have biggest memories of my childhood. I knew from then, everything i did was more shaped me into the person I am today. important because i was setting the standard for her.

5/24/11 10:49AM 5/24/11 7:44PM Moving seven times in my life from one place to another Coming to England 5/24/11 10:42AM 5/24/11 7:30PM living on my own when I became 16 ( I moved to different city to High School) Hi O. Being badly beaten up in the park when I was 14 awoke a serious deep 5/24/11 8:26AM burning drive in me and led me to make descisions that have massively affected visit to London aged 10 the kind of person I am today.

5/24/11 5:33AM 5/24/11 7:18PM I couldn’t say one event shaped me, by any means, they all come together to Being encouraged to explore the world from a very early age. make you who you are in my opinion.. Some memories that did shape me, 5/24/11 6:44PM massively , would be seeing my mum suffer with depression & OCD & my dad Nothing in particular, mainly friends alcoholism... Not a good mix!

5/24/11 5:46PM 5/24/11 12:40AM going on walks with my granddad I was picked on by a girl that turned my other friends against me, good 5/24/11 4:03PM friends who should have known better. I learnt most people are not reliable, Probably when i first started going to house parties and drinking (about 16). but that you can forgive them anyway if enough time goes by.

Without sounding like an alcoholic, i found it takes your mind off everything else 5/24/11 12:14AM and is a lot more sociable. I don’t drink a lot just love getting drunk and going When i learnt to believe mad in a club every now and then.

5/23/11 11:31PM 5/24/11 2:35PM no Going to Africa at the age of 19, single, white female in a totally aliens culture....

5/23/11 11:06PM changed my out look on life, gain a new interest in the world. The mountains, When I was in primary school it was a private school and most people there lake, sea, people and all forms of human geography. New form of indepdance seemed 2 faced therefore I tried not to be like that... So I am honest with and understanding of where you come...almost of coming of ages. It set off my people as much as I feel everyone should be without being too rude! travelling bug...forever to have itchy feet. Once you have that african dirt under 5/23/11 10:42PM your nail it will also hold a special place in your heart. I When my parents split up really changed me. It just made me see life in a 5/24/11 2:29PM different way and realise humans are a lot more vunerable that we all believe.

5/23/11 10:23PM

Do you feel that your parents or guardian made your decisions considering your education, or did they leave the choice up to you? they left the choice to me. Although they thought i could of gone to the local grammer school even with the entry grades, they let me stay in state schools as this was my choice.

5/24/11 2:35PM Yes they help, choosing my school and supporting me in choices to go to college. Havever i feel they infuenced me to take subject such as business and german rather than art or spanish which on reflect i think i would have prefered to do.

5/24/11 2:29PM During primary school, I had no choice to where I was going to study, but when it was time for me to choose where I wanted to go to college, I felt I was being judged for choosing what I chose. Now that I’m a third year student, still studying at the school I chose and learning about the things I love, I still feel like my family doesn’t approve of me.

5/24/11 1:49PM Myself 5/24/11 1:46PM I always made the choices related to my education. From as early as 12, I got a big say in were I wanted to study. And since 16 have changed schools on my own because I didn’t like some of them.

5/24/11 1:34PM I believe it was a joint decision, where what i wanted was taken into consideration along with what they believed would be best 5/24/11 1:26PM they chose my primary school, i chose my secondary, college and uni so i think it was mainly my choice 5/24/11 1:24PM Left it up to me, I was allowed to chose what I wanted to study and where.

5/24/11 12:58AM My Parents always chose which schools I went to, mostly depending on the location, reputation and how much it cost. However when it came time to choose universities, they simply gave opinion, and I believe they would have rather I’d gone to America, but they are happy I made a decision, stuck to it and am liking it.

5/24/11 12:47AM their chose. at the time i didnt care 5/24/11 12:27AM Completely left to decide my own direction, with my parents supporting my decisions in whatever way they can.

5/24/11 11:57AM They left it up too me as they knew it would be where i spent the next few years of my life. They wanted me too be happy with my friends. :) 5/24/11 11:53AM Choice was left up to me but there was expectation to process into higher education.

5/24/11 11:46AM i made my own decisions as i knew what interested me and what i was best at.

5/24/11 11:08AM Because your parents always want the best of for you, To get the best start in life so they try for the better schools.

5/24/11 10:49AM They decided about my pirmary and middle school. I chose high school 5/24/11 10:42AM No, all was my choises 5/24/11 8:26AM followed the system until left school, then at 19 went to nurse training.

Parents naive about education.

5/24/11 5:33AM My parents left it up to me... They always gave me responsibility for my own actions, & that was really good.

5/24/11 12:40AM Not really, I just went to the schools that were near me, 5 minutes walk primary then 10 minutes walk secondary 5/24/11 12:14AM I was always going to go there regarless of my parents beliefs because i lived near the school.

5/23/11 11:31PM Some guidance was provided when I was still young but as I got older I was able to make my own decisions.

5/23/11 11:06PM The primary school which I attended was chosen by my parents and I didn’t really like it and was behind and slower than others, therefore when failing the 11+ they just let me go to a state school! And it was the best years :) 5/23/11 10:42PM Kind of but they just wanted me to go to a good school but left it mostly up to me to decide so I wasn’t in a place with no one I didn’t know.

5/23/11 10:23PM

Left it up to me, because of my older siblings choices.

5/23/11 10:21PM I think that mostly it was my own decision except for a big decision to do with music in which they told me not to do it although it was what I originally wanted to do with my future but they said it wouldn’t be a safe career. Ended up the right thing for me though.

6/13/11 7:53PM Yes, up until university, i guess its advisable to listen to your parents.

6/2/11 10:29AM They have left my university choices pretty much down to me, not pressuring me at all, my sister already attended the secondary school i attended so that was not really my input.

5/27/11 5:31PM yes, wanted better for me than they got themselves 5/27/11 12:21AM My parents looked at school attainment levels, where my friends were going, our catchment area and if they got a good feeling from the staff when they visited.

Both my mum and dad always visited together and chatted to us about it but we never made the decision, they did.

5/27/11 10:14AM Probably for the better as they had a better judgement at the stage of my life.

5/26/11 9:47PM They made the decisions based upon my older siblings, they didn’t enter me for the 11+ exam & therefore I didn’t get to go to grammar school...I am very resentful of this, as I could have attended University & received a grant for it. Because of their ‘work for a living & pay your keep’ ethos, I missed this opportunity & had to pay for my own education as an adult. Myself & 4 cousins are the only ones in my family (on both sides, maternal & paternal) to achieve BA & Bsc degrees!

5/26/11 9:46PM i feel that i made all my decisions about education growing up. i think i did this maybe because my mum and dad didnt have much of an education when they were younger and wasnt to sure of what it was like or how important it is.

5/26/11 7:31PM its clear that I had little choice over my education up until I left secondary school. My parents based their choices on the environment that they considered I would be best suited for - academics were not the only consideration.

5/26/11 3:44PM Parents made decisions, they were not very interested, they had been brought up in the war years, so had a different outlook 5/25/11 11:01PM Either no room or the only school around was chosen for me. Neither my guardian nor I had a choice. Although if we had the money a private school was an option 5/25/11 8:41PM View Responses To a point but I was unhappy in private education moving to comp at 12 I was much happier. I think I went against their decisions partly as I got older choosing an alternative uni path but they were supportive within my decisions even when they weren’t their first choice 5/24/11 9:40PM When it came to younger school life they made my decisions, but now in older school life they let me make my own decisions with some input from them as they want to look out for what is best for me.

5/24/11 8:28PM they made the decisions for me because they do not believe in private education and feel that it’s unfair. going to a Church Of England school was not necessarily connected to their religious beliefs (though my mother is Christian), it just happened to be the nearest school and a good one too.

5/24/11 8:01PM left it to me i was lazy 5/24/11 7:52PM My mum was a very pushy parent and wanted me to do an 11+ test to get into a private school but i failed it on purpose because i knew i wouldn’t fit in there.

She made all the decisions because she wanted the absolute best education for me but in the end i pretty much got to choose.

5/24/11 7:44PM yes..they wanted a good education for me 5/24/11 7:30PM My Parents would have preffered me to take an alternative route in regards to education, they both pushed me towards more academic routes like IT Maths and Science, but I chose to go with the route that came more naturally in design.

5/24/11 7:18PM A bit of both. When I was younger they decided where I went to school but when I was older, it was my choice.

5/24/11 6:44PM A bit of both 5/24/11 5:46PM i think i made all my own desicions 5/24/11 4:03PM

Terrafirma “Whilst I was young my childhood was bad. As I grew older and wiser things changed and eventually sorted themselves out. I feel that the tough times shaped me as a person and created my current state of mind. As I have got older I have began to appreciate how people around me dealt with what went on, to this day I see this as inspiration and use it as motivation. Terrafirma�

Scooba Steve “I liked my childhood, I’m still living it at heart. I am content with my life as it is but always striving to do better. Scooba Steve”

Can you give me a short description about your life so far, have you achieved what you thought you would, how do you feel about your childhood, how do you feel about your self right now in the present.

Please be as descriptive as you can, but even a few words would be great, just a little paragraph, or a long one which ever you have time for, then lastly can you sign off your paragraph with an alias or made up superhero/supervillian name that best suits you?

I’ve had a very happy life so far, I was very good at school and did very well academically until year 10 when I became very popular and decided that was more important to me than my education. I did fine at GCSE but way below what I was capable of. Of course this is all in hindsight. I then moved to very far away with my family to do my A levels which I was rather upset by then to add to the unhappiness I was joining a Grammar school where everyone was very bright so I went from being the best in the class to being the bottom so had to work very hard to get good A levels. All the time spending a lot of time singing. I then went to University and again chose my social life over education and had an absolutely fantastic time. It was a great subject though and I managed to do well without trying so when it came to my final year I worked very hard and came out with fantastic results which is probably my proudest moment so far in life. I am now in my first year since and working in a job I love so much and I am also doing a distance learning course to help me get onto my next step to the career I want. I’m very tired as it’s a lot of work but since doing so well at uni I am very dedicated to doing the best I possibly can for the rest of my life. I’m very proud of myself right now in life and had the best few years of my life. signing off as supergeek :) 6/13/11 7:53PM I guess im on the right track, im enjoying Uni, met some wicked people, the odd hick-up along the way for certain. I do wish i knew exactly ‘who i was’ as sometimes i feel like a different person from one day to the next, but i guess thats normal, my childhood was fun, no qualms there, lived near the forest so running around with a toy Lee Enfield was the norm. Could i still get away with playing soldiers? I annoy myself more than anybody else annoys me and wish i was more confident all the time. All in all, when im in a good mood, im happy with who i am. As for my super hero name... Phil Good 6/2/11 10:29AM Proggressing well,I have achieved all that i have wanted to as i move from my childhood into the beggining of my adult working life. I have little regrets. Superhero Name: The Dark Soldier ( best I could think of, apologies).

5/27/11 5:31PM happy childhood, lost my confidence in senior private school, parents pressured me excessively , initially disappointed in my career choice, but better now. at the moment im as happy as ive been, love what im doing have a great girlfriend and looking forward to the future, much more confident thatn i was as well 5/27/11 12:21AM My life is a real mixed bag. I’ve had huge high’s: 2:1 degree, buying a house, lovely nephew, fantastic parents, great jobs, scuba diving, travelling, cooking, parties, great friends and much much more. I’ve also had huge lows: depressions, ill health, deatlhs in the family, heart ache in relationships, rubbish jobs, an interest in danger and thrill seeking behaviour. Overall with a great family and friends, a partner who loves me, job i enjoy and good health I can’t complain and I’m excited about the future. I hope this helps. Love half pint! as I’m the small one now! LOL xxxxx 5/27/11 10:14AM So far my life has been short lived and there are still many more adventures and years left to live. However up to this point I feel that my life has been enjoyable and I feel privileged and I feel lucky in the way I have grown up and have been nutured. Captain Kill 5/26/11 9:47PM I have had a very varied & social career in entertainment & am grateful for that, & that I did it whilst young. I’ve made some unwise choices in my lovelife but am now happily married to my second husband & we adore our children & each other. I never expected an achievement as such, just rode the waves of life & surfed as well as I could. Childhood I’d rather not remember, though I do remember it vividly. Sad I would call it. I am very content right now, life is good despite the government! The Chameleon in thighboots ;o) 5/26/11 9:46PM i think i was a happy child and as ive grown up i am proud of what ive achieved. however at this moment in time i feel a bit lost and not really sure what im doing. i get scared of the future if i dont have anything planned out.

5/26/11 7:31PM View Responses I am extremely happy with what I have achieved so far in my life, a good foundation has been set. However I want to achieve and experience the things that so far I have only been able to imagine. SUPERVILLAIN: Doctor Dream.

5/26/11 3:44PM In hindsight would have liked to have studied more? my childhood was difficult as my father was very strict, i like who i am now through friends i have moved on, take one day at time with a father who was very dominant i was a very shy when i was younger always frightened of being reprimanded for, even looking in a mirror i was considered vain very difficult 5/25/11 11:01PM Was born. Created endless narratives for myself about the people and places around me. Ran out of narratives. Discovered the real world full of complexity, pain and beauty. Struggled to cope. Found Drugs, sex and love.

These helped and still do. Yours sincerely The Juggernaut bitch.

5/25/11 8:41PM normal lass born in the north moved south as a kid. Grew up in a generally happy home had ome quite impacting illness and advanced relationships in childhood. Wish I could regain some childhood but recognise it shaped the positive person I am now. I’ve got brilliant family and a wonerful group of mates from childhood who are everything to me and I am truly lucky to have them. I’ve travelled, got up to serious mischief but now really happy enjoying the family life, good career and home. My life isn’t exactly what I planned but no ones is. I’m happier in myself now more than ever, it’s a good old life glad it’s mine. Lots of love Foghorn xxxxx 5/24/11 9:40PM I have only been througt 16 years of my life so far so I don’t have many achievements, but i am definitely happy with how my life has went so far. I think my superhero name would be rocket man, because i’m a speed freak.

5/24/11 8:28PM i have been through many phases so far within my life and am finally coming to a point where i have got to know myself well and know how to better myself and move forward and get to where i would like to be in the future. i have become more focused, more determined and more engaged in learning more about a wide variety of different things and i suppose i could say that i’m really proud of myself at the moment... i had a lovely childhood and i am learning as i grow and meet and get to know more people that it was actually very hyper-normal in some ways for a family who breaks up - and actually also very calm in comparison to a lot of other family break ups, so i’m really grateful for that. and i’m sorry to be incredibly unhelpful but i really don’t know what to put as a superhero name or alias, i’ve got a complete mind blank right now. i hope that wasn’t too entirely central and vital to your survey...

5/24/11 8:01PM happy as a child & teenager not sure of what carrer to follow several jobs later & married my family is most important to me Bagpuss 5/24/11 7:52PM My mum has a series of mental illnesses so i guess my childhood was pretty turbulent, a lot of moving around, serious pressure to do well at school. very very sheltered. I wasn’t allowed to socialise a lot and family was always the main focus. In my mums culture children are to be seen and not heard. So i was very shy growing up, self unassured and just generally very quiet. Since my mum kicked me out when i was 17 i really can’t explain how much i’ve learnt and grown.

My self confidence is through the roof, having sort of built my own life for myself and working hard and studying the course i always wanted to do has left me so content. I’m quite an ambitious person and having been pushed so much as a kid i know my own potential and push myself almost as much.

My childhood is not in anyway the way i want to bring my kids up, it wasn’t ideal but if i had it really easy i reckon i wouldnt be half the person i am today. So of course i look back fondly as everyone should. Tis’ all, Madame Butterfly.

5/24/11 7:44PM Past my degree play 4 instruments settled in life just need to make more money and own a boat kurosaki Ichigo Soul Reaper 5/24/11 7:30PM I’m very grateful for the life I’ve had so far. I’ve lived and worked in many different countries around the world, each one teaching me new things and introducing me to new people. I was lucky to have a fantastic education where I was taught to question the norm and think for myself. I am always looking ahead for the next thing, which is sometimes exhausting and can make me seem restless, but it keeps me motivated and determined to do the best I can. I’m lucky to live in London which is one of the world’s most interesting and vibrant cities, and I do a job which I enjoy and which surrounds me with creativity each day.

5/24/11 6:44PM I like my childhood, I’m still living it at heart. I am content with my life as it is but always striving to do better. Scooba Steve 5/24/11 5:46PM my life has been pretty good. childhood and school were all good and have loads of great memories. currently i am doing really well and couldnt be happier. superhero name? nerd 5/24/11 4:03PM I am happy with my life so far and the way its going. I have no real ambitions in life and plan on cruising through it, and this is what i want. I don’t want to have to work hard to have a decent life. In the future i can see myself: middle-class, married with kids, taking lots of holidays and hopefully working from home. alias: relax-o-tron 5/24/11 2:35PM C 5/24/11 1:46PM My life has continued to change direction at every fork in the road and i feel that i have chosen that direct myself based on what i needed. I feel that i could have achieved alot more at school and was disappointed that i have reach 30 and still have no real drive for a specific career. I believe in a different time i might have been that stay at home mum but in this day and age it was not the done thing and imagine if you sat down at a dinner party and say i aspire to be a stay at home mum....Gaspppss!!! However i have achieve alot in my own life because of having very open minded parents, they have alway encourage me to do what i wanted, travelling, nannying, work in the family buisness. An yes i have achieved alot, travelling, working as a nanny, being a supervisor in a shop by 16, running a company with my father and becoming a director by 29, own my own house and car. Nanny 911 (given by other) 5/24/11 2:29PM My childhood formed me to be who I am today. I can’t say I lived a normal life. I always left alone. Barely saw my own family. My sister hated me when I was kid, she never had a reason to, she just did. My parents always fought and I’d hide and cry somewhere dark. I hated my childhood. I never felt like I had a family. I’d go to friends’ homes because then I’d be able to see what it means to have a loving family who’d always be there for you.

I honestly dislike my life right now. I hate myself. I hate how I look. I hate how I can never really express myself. I feel like I have to live up to society expectations. I have problems about almost everything. I try my hardest to be an outstanding person, but I guess I’ll just never be enough. I sort of hate myself for being alive. “Jade” 5/24/11 1:49PM Im where I want to be in life, its taken longer than it was supposed to but Im finally here. Im happy with myself, Ive finally got some peace and space in my life. With my new school project Ive finally got some much needed closure on my childhood. For a really long time it was always on my mind but now with an ocean between and time I think Ive gotten over some of them. My family, their many many problems and secrets all the things that go with that. So relief is what I feel right now. :) Kirppuli! :D Ps. Good luck with your project! :) 5/24/11 1:34PM As a child i’ve done everything i wanted, playing football, completing education and meeting a great group of pals, now as i get older i’m slowly realising that i’ve left myself down the last few years and wish to adjust this however choose not due to a variety of factors! As it stands im doing what i want to do completing a university degree however not doing it to my potential standard. BLADE! 5/24/11 1:26PM View Responses Always been able to do anything i wanted, mentally and mostly physically, it was just finding the things i wanted to do that was the difficulty - now doing a course in something i love, which is surprisingly rare these days, and living life as much as i can before doing any damage to myself :) 5/24/11 1:24PM Born in Belgium, started moving around at 4, parents got divorced somewhere in that turmoil, finally moved back to Belgium. Finished school there, moved to the UK to study. Finally doing what I love, practically living with who I love. Ramses 5/24/11 12:58AM I was born in America, and lived there for the first seven years of my life.

Although I do not recall everything I do remember it being wonderful, my best friend, who I basically grew up with lived next door, and it was a perfect neighbourhood for childhood games. I have two older sisters, one a half sister who is 11 years older than me and I used to ask her real dad if I could call him dad as well because I was jealous she got two dads. :P Unfortunately when we left to move to Belgium, it was a very sad day, I left my eldest sister behind to go to uni, and my best friend cried and did not want to let us get into the car to go to the airport, her dad had to pull her away. I don’t really remember crying that much but when I arrived in Belgium I became very shy, not really knowing the language yet, and not ever having moved before I didn’t know anything about this place. It was when I moved to Belgium that I found out about my parents fights, and when I started sleep walking across my sisters room to go to my parents all the time. I had a great time though in school, my first two schools in Belgium I loved, and always felt really attached to them, and then I went to highschool, in the biggest school I’d been in as of yet, and everything went downhill from there. I didn’t like the school, I had problems with the people going there, I would date one guy who would break my heart, be friends with girls who would decide never to speak to me again one random day and I made friends with a girl who didn’t care about school, and we would go to the fields during lunch and stay there the rest of the sunny afternoons, just skipping classes without a care. She left the next year and I started the IB, which was a really kick in the gut after spending a year or two of not really working, so I didn’t put my heart into the IB, except for when it came to art class. I gave it all experimented and coming up with amazing ideas for Art, and as for the rest of my classes, I would do the assignments but never study or put much into it. Thank god I’m a bright kid because I passed with very good grades without problems. I did however get into running in my highschool, and competed for cross country and long distance track runs, I became the first varsity girl, won tons of medals and so forth, and it was amazing for me to just run and not have a care in the world for whatever distance I would be doing.

Afterwards, I wanted to take a gap year and go and work in Val d’isere, a ski resort in France which I’ve been going too since I was two and love it completely, but that kind of fell through, so I went to LCC in London to study, that was when I realised how pointless the IB had been for me, as it seemed like everyone else had better experience with art and graphics than me who spent hours studying maths, philosophy, science etc.. and it was also the beginning to the longest times I’d ever gone without seeing my parents. I am especially close to my mom, in my last year of highschool it was mostly just her and I at home as my sister was with her bf all the time and my dad was travelling. So to go one month without her was hard, and yes only one month as so far I have made it a point to visit them or vice versa at least once a month! Anyways my life has also revolved greatly around the boys I’m with for some reason. And I don’t feel like getting too much into it although there were two boys who one could say were my “high shcool sweethearts” I dated them alternating years both twice, only to be heart broken by cheating on me and dumping me. I also dated a much old guy after those two who spent a lovely few months with me but broke my heart by taking a “break” texting me everyday about how much he loved and missed me only for me to find out that when that week was up it was over, and he had actually been with his ex that whole week. By this time I had decided to give up on boys, but then this boy I’d known all of highschool went on vacation with me to a friends house and we couldn’t help it. One thing lead to another and by the end of the summer we decided we would go out, even if we were going to different universities. And I’ve been with him ever since, and he’s been better to me than any guy’s ever treated me before. Right now I am sad as I feel like I’ve lost all my high school friends, and I feel like I’m not close enough to my uni friends, so I’m very grateful for my boyfriend, and my mom who calls me all the time. But I wish I could push myself harder in my work, and into opening up to my uni friends and hanging out with them more and stop being so shy. But I am happy with my choices of school and studies. KidoSLT (nickname given to me by and old best friend) 5/24/11 12:47AM at young age, became a manager to a company which i loved. happy childhood with mother, dont feel you need father. right now can take it easier.

5/24/11 12:27AM Never problems, always solutions.

5/24/11 11:57AM i feel my life so far has been sucsessful, i have acheived everything that i wish, during school and college. I miss my childhood, i feel it was the best part of my life, no money worries, education worries, job worries, relationship worries. nothing. i just genuinely miss being young and naive. I feel right this second im... happy! i have really good people around me and things are looking up so far. except the world ending is common too hear about this past month which scares me a ikcle bit! um, not sure about the superhero that suits me but i no id prefer to be catwoman over any other hero. Firstly because i love cats (guess who! haha), i also would love too see in the dark, would prevent me from being scared when i walk alone at night. Catwoman can also leap reeeeeally far and she runs super fast. i like running. LOL x 5/24/11 11:53AM Currently in the third year of my 4 year degree. Achieving high grades as I intended to. I enjoyed my childhood greatly, but I’d say I’m certainly enjoying my later years more. Brains 5/24/11 11:46AM achieved most of what i wanted to,maybe would have preferred to have done better in my school gcse’s, happy with my life as ive got the people who mean the most and make me the happiest. I Loved my childhood, i have so many fond memories and i love looking back at pictures when i was younger and what i got up to. bubbly 5/24/11 11:08AM I have loved my life so far met some good people had some good laughs.

Haven’t achevied what I wanted but I should of done better at school, But no regrets still young just living my life. I feel good about what’s going on in the present wouldn’t want to change it.. Optimus Prime 5/24/11 10:49AM View Responses I think I achived a lot. Im only 19 and so far Ive lived in four different countries. I love sport and I took part in national comeptitions. I have two best friends, not living with me unfortunately, but it only makes our friendship harder. They influence my life greatly. I am aware that I do not live my dream now, but whole life is ahead and the most important thing is to continue believing that some day our dreams will come true.

5/24/11 10:42AM To be honest, I am really happy person. I achieved all that I always dream on. Of course I will not stop to dream. I am keep looking for a new challenges. Lara Croft( like a person- no A.Jolie)- romantic but brave 5/24/11 8:26AM View Responses chidhood happy, teens hard work, considering backround acheived above expectations.today burnt out, legend, 5/24/11 5:33AM My childhood wasnt roses & tulips, but it was amazing, everyone has their crap and there’s so many people out there that had it worse than me even if I had to see things a kid shouldnt, & had to grow up fast... I feel I have so much life ahead... I want to see every end of the earth, read every book, and know every person I should, fall in love to the purest amount, have kids & then... I will feel I’ve done everything I should of in my life... You can call me “SUPER LESBIAN” haha!

5/24/11 12:40AM When I was young I felt like I do know but with more doubt, I’ve always been massively sensitive but mainly about the thoughts of people whose opinions I value, not about people who I think are a bit dumb/mean/pointless. I try and do well by others and I can’t bear to see anyone upset. Midnight Mirror 5/24/11 12:14AM View Responses Whilst i was young my childhood was bad. As i grew older and wiser things changed and eventually sorted themselves out. I feel that the tough times shaped me as a person and created my current state of mind. As i have got older i have began to apprecite how people around me dealt with what went on, to this day i see this as inspiration and use it as motivation.

5/23/11 11:31PM View Responses .

5/23/11 11:06PM View Responses Well I think that my childhood wern’t the best years ever.. I didn’t like them much but I went to high school and made new friends, it was a new start and I progressed with my education more than I ever imagined i would, and the teachers and friends and my high school really changed me to be a better person and be a lot more happier with things. I think right now I feel as if i wouldn’t really change much going back as I have really enjoyed the last 7 years of my life and I think that right now Im doing the right thing as im in the right career going GMD and doing something i enjoy (my parents are typical asian people who obv wanted me to be a doctor/lawyer or whatever lol), rather than something that someone else wants. Erm if I was to name a superhero/villan it would be “That Girl” as I am just as normal as everyone else and just as motivated as everyone could be if they are determined to get what they want.

5/23/11 10:42PM I never thought I’d have as much knowledge about the world by now. Or that I’d be doing what I’m doing. I love where I am in life, kind of going somewhere but still taking it at my own pace. I’m glad I got into what I do because it’s made me look at the world in a very different way. Yours sincerely, The son of Oden 5/23/11 10:23PM