Hi, I’m Ashten Pendley. I’m from Purcell, Oklahoma which is only 20 mins south of Norman. I graduate in May and I am very excited but nervous to leave the college world. Once graduated, I would love to move out of Oklahoma and get a fresh change of scenery. All my family lives within a 20-minute drive from Norman so I am very used to seeing my family often. I will miss my family once I leave Oklahoma, but they can always come and visit me.
In my family, I have sisters who are twins. They are 19 (just graduated high school in May). I used to always feel left out around them because twins just have that special connection with one another. Over quarantine, we were all able to become the closets we have ever been and that really helped me be able to stay positive during the unknown. We were all home all day, every day with one another since all our classes were moved online. We discovered new talents of baking, discovering the best walking trail, and love for streaming networks. If it was not for my little sisters, I do not think I would have left the months of March-July sane.
Family is so important to me, which leads me to how I chose what I want to do after graduation. Since I have always had to look after my little sisters, I have a love for taking care and helping people solve their problems. Once I graduate, I would love to find a job helping children with their family or personal issues. I plan to eventually become a school counselor. Right now, I work at a preschool, and I enjoy working with children, but I want to be able to help their home life and other things they struggle on the daily with.
Hi, Ashten. I also have twin little sisters, but they're still in high school. I never felt left out, but that might be because they're girls, I'm a guy, and I would always mess with them when they were younger. They would do their fair share of messing, too, but I don't think it was on purpose the way mine was. That's cool that you want to help children. I've always loved kids and want to be a teacher when I retire someday. Good luck with getting out of Oklahoma!
ReplyDeleteHi Ashten! First off, what a small world!! I actually graduated from Noble like your sisters did, and I was their basketball manager for them in 2019! It is so nice to meet the 3rd Pendley sister! I too want to move out of Oklahoma when I graduate from OU. I am thinking about moving somewhere warmer and near the beach. I think it is so great that you are wanting to help children once you graduate. We need more people like you in the world! Hope that you succeed with all of your goals!
ReplyDeleteHi Ashten :) I have twin sisters too! They're 16 right now, going to be seniors in high school this fall. I'm the oldest. Their names are Lauren & Lindsay and they have brown and blonde hair like your sisters, except I have brown hair :) I know the feeling of being really connected to your family, especially your sisters. It's one of the best feelings, I think. Have you seen Little Women? I love that movie, and it reminds me of my relationship with my younger sisters haha.
ReplyDeleteWow. There's lots of twins on this post. Mine are also sixteen and going to be seniors in the fall. How times fly. It doesn't even seem weird to me that they're that old even though it was just a few years ago I was in high school myself. I'm just old enough where I'll never be able to be at school with them. Maybe I can go get a Master's when they're in college or something. That would be fun, but I don't think it would be the same.
DeleteHi Ashten! The only (can't think of many) positive that came out of quarantine was the close family time! It's so rare with everyone's schedules, especially being in college now. I think it'd be awesome that you want to be a school counselor, they are so important to so many kids! My roommate is studying to be a special education teacher and she connects with the students so well! Good luck after graduation, it is so scary but it will all work out!
ReplyDeleteBrooklin
Hi Ashten! Nice to meet you and congrats on graduating in May. I am also graduating this semester and can agree I'm a little nervous. I have been Oklahoma my whole life but my family travels a lot but not enough not to want to get a change in scenery after I graduate as well. Not a lot came out of quarantine for me other than boredom and lack of sleep but I am happy to hear you discovered some things. Hope you have a great last semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Ashten!! I love how you used something so personal and impactful in your life, like your FAMILY, into a career path! I have a twin brother, but we do not have any other siblings, so I completely relate to the twin dynamic but have never thought of how that would affect another sibling. Although Ryan and I are super close now, we definitely were not as close when we were little, but I wonder if we would have felt a more significant connection if there was someone else in the mix!
ReplyDeleteHi Ashten!
ReplyDeleteI am from Noble, which is about fifteen minutes from Norman. I agree about wanting to get out of Oklahoma after graduation. I was born and raised here, and I went to college here. A change of scenery would be nice! I have a twin brother and a little brother. Myself and my family have also become closer since quarantine, mostly because we are in the same place all the time!
Cady
Hey Ashten!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, quarantine was a very unknown time but also a great time to get to grow closer with our families. I have twins in my family that just graduated too, but they are my older brothers who just graduated from OU in the fall. I'm glad you want to help people and I think that is great, I feel the same why which is why I'm headed into the medical field. Best of luck in your last semester!
Hi Ashten! I think you are the first person from Purcell in class this semester... but there are lots of students from all kinds of cities and towns in Oklahoma, and beyond! Being able to bond with people during pandemic times is an upside that will last for a long time, and I also keep hoping that people will learn about new ways to connect and share online that can be useful going forward. I was already a believer in online classes long before the pandemic, and I'm glad that this class can provide a different approach compared to the Zoom that's going on in so many other classes that are more like traditional classes done in front of a camera.
ReplyDeleteAnd how great that you want to work with children! One of my goals for this class is that people might learn lots and lots of stories: you never know when you might need to entertain children with some stories that they have never heard before... you can never have too many stories to share! :-)
Hi Ashten!
ReplyDeleteI'm an identical twin myself, so I cam completely understand how you felt left out of the connection between your twin sisters – because it truly is super real! It makes me smile with how much you love your family and helping children. It seems like being a school counselor would be the perfect fit for you! Best of luck with the rest of your semester and life after graduation!
Hi, Ashten!
ReplyDeleteI also graduate in May, and honestly I'm pretty scared about going out into the real world. But I love that I will finally be able to do the things I want to do, namely buy my dream car which is a 62' Lincoln Continental. I will definitely be moving out of Oklahoma after graduation! I have always wanted to move to Florida, although I cant decide whether to move to Miami or Tampa.
Hi Ashten!
ReplyDeleteI only have one year younger sister, who is 13, but I have a friend who has 2 younger sisters that are twins. Sometimes it can be a bit difficult to cross a divide with your siblings. For me, since my sister is 8 years younger, we have always been in different stages of life, making it a bit difficult to connect. Nevertheless, I grew up also taking care of my sister so I like taking care of others. I know how you feel about always being close to family, as I have always been the same. I wish you the best of luck with becoming the best school counselor!
Hi Ashten!
ReplyDeleteI too share your combination of fear and excitement when it comes to leaving college. Don't worry though, you'll do great! And your aspirations t be a counselor are so admirable! There's nothing more refreshing than seeing someone who is passionate about what they want to do with such a good reason behind it! I wish you all the best in your career and life!
Hi Ashten,
ReplyDeleteIt is so neat that you want to be a counselor. I have a younger cousin who wants to do the same thing. She used to live here in Oklahoma but her and my uncle moved to Wisconsin after he got out of prison. I want to be a psychiatrist and focus more on the biological side of mental health, but the cognitive aspect is very important too.
Hi Ashten! Nice to meet you (It's late in the semester to be saying that, but I realized after commenting on your week 11 story that I have yet to leave a comment on your introduction). I hope you'll get to experience a new place you like after graduation. I grew up in my tight-knit family of 6 in South Carolina, and it can be sad being so far away today. But I am grateful for every new experience I've had away from home, and I appreciate everyone more when I am there!
ReplyDeleteAshten,
ReplyDeleteI think it is so admirable that you want to help people with any issues they may be experiencing as well as help children with their home lives. That's so awesome, and it sounds like you would do a great job at it. It's also really cool that you and your sisters will able to get closer through quarantine. I know a lot of people had a hard time with it, so it's nice to hear that it was helpful for you guys! Hope your semester is going great!!
Hi Ashten, nice to meet you! I definitely got a lot closer with my family during quarantine too, especially my parents since I had to go home. I have three younger siblings that I also spent a lot of time with. I relate to wanting to move away from the state you grew up in. I'm from Kansas, so not too far away, but I've always wanted to move somewhere on the East coast. Congrats on graduating this spring! I think it's really cool that you want to help kids, so it seems like you'll be great as a school counselor.
ReplyDeleteLovely to 'meet' you, Ashten!
ReplyDeleteYour introduction is so sweet, I can really feel the care you have for children and the love you have for your family. It makes so much sense to introduce yourself through your relationship with your family, as that makes up so much of who we are, but I feel like this is something I neglect to acknowledge enough. You've inspired me! Anyway, I'm really glad to hear that you feel closer to your family and your sisters after quarantine - I know lockdown was hard for very many, so it's very good to hear that you turned it into something positive, and were able to get all that bonding time in before your move! I hope finding your next home is a smooth transition, and CONGRATULATIONS on graduating next month! You're SO CLOSE! *clap clap clap*