Considering The Present
Name
Adult Development
Instructor:
DATE

The two events that I have chosen are when I started my first job and when I joined the Army. I selected my first job because it set the tempo for an event that would occur for the greater portion of my life. My first job was more of a culture shock and a training event that would show me what to expect from the world. I chose when I joined the Army because it was very positive in a long term stance. I learned a great majority of the discipline that I was going to need in the remainder of my life. The events that I selected both worked in unison to positively affect my outlook on life as a young adult. These events laid the foundation for me to build on that would help me to keep a focused outlook on my responsibilities as a man. My father use to tell me that if I was not to work then I should not expect to eat as a man. As a 16 year old boy I learned that becoming a man was not going to be the easiest task I have come across. As an 18 year old young man, going into the Army showed me the hardest portions of becoming a man and if I could achieve this then nothing else is outside of my grasp. Upon review of Bronfenbrenner’s rings I noticed that my experiences have touched all of his systems and were influenced by every last one of them as well. Initially starting my first job was a decision that directly influenced and was influenced by my microsystem. I decided to get a job to support myself and to make it easier for my parents. Also in my religious upbringing it shows that a man is to work to support himself and his family and only hard work is to be rewarded. This was an impact on the mesosystem as well. I helped my environment by provided a needed service as a dish-washer. I also built relationships with my neighbors because they came to the restaurant I worked at and they respected the fact that I was young and joining the work force and I wasn’t selling drugs or taking part in other delinquent activities. This helped me in school as I was forced to learn management skills that would help me manage my time better when completing assignments. This decision slightly affected my exosystems only because I did not require social welfare services because I worked to provide for myself. This event greatly affected my macrosystem. My attitude towards working was altered to show that it was, in fact, bearable. I was looked at as a positive individual in the cultural context and my ideologies had changed due to this experience. Most of the youth have dreams but do not have the vision that includes the hard work and dedication needed to achieve those goals. I had the experience to see what my goals would require in the future. Joining the Army greatly affected my microsystem. I was challenged physically, mentally and emotionally with this lifestyle change. My entire way of life was altered when I joined the Army. I was told what to do and when to do it and I had no individuality for the first nine weeks of this event. I learned my strengths and weaknesses that would prove to be a very important bit of information for the remainder of my life. This event greatly affected my exosystem. My neighbors became people who were going through the exact same difficulties as I was. My community had become an extension of my family. At any given time I could be in a hostile environment with any one of these people and I would watch over them as if they were my little brother or sister. The media became a huge portion of my life because what was on the news could greatly affect my life. My macrosystem was greatly influenced by this event decision in my life. My culture had become, “Militant” and military outlooks had become second nature. My attitudes and ideologies of the civilian culture had changed drastically. I knew, from the other side of the fence, that what some viewed as being horrible conditions were nowhere near that to me. I also saw that society has become a self-destructive time bomb. Learning form these experiences helped reinforce the positive behaviors in my adulthood. I learned that if you desire something you must first understand what it takes to acquire it and desire that as well. I learned that life is not fair and in many cases you must remain optimistic and to roll with the punches. I now know the importance of valuing what you already have because life could have always been worse. The most important behavior I have received from these experiences is to keep working and sacrifice for what you love. In reference to my online learning, I don’t believe I would be able to work 60+ hours a week and attend my online classes. My experiences have shown me that even though it won’t feel desirable to continue my education and work; in the end it will reap a very fruitful harvest.