Maitlynn Mossolle's Portfolio
BENCHMARK 1:
Induviduality
Autobiography: I Am
My name is Maitlynn Shelby Mossolle; I am the daughter of Matthew and Jennifer Mossolle. I have two younger sisters, Paige is thirteen and Emma, nine. I am seventeen years old and currently a senior at Hanover-Horton High School. When I graduate, I plan to attend Grand Valley State University to double major in photography and journalism for a dream career in photojournalism. Photography is what really turned me on into the field of photography just because I love the way you can make someone see the beauty in something just by taking a simple snapshot.
Emotionally, I like to think I am a very strong person. I am very sensitive which I think can be a good thing. I always stop to think how I feel about something or how it would make someone else feel. My mom used to always say, “Days of Our Lives has a spot reserved for you, Maitlynn” because I was just so sensitive all the time and a bit dramatic. When it comes to hardships, I think I am very strong. After the first initial shock of something is over and after I’ve had my time to cry and be sad, I then toughen up and learn when to move on. For example, last school year I was in about a year and a half long relationship and when he chose to break it off, I was devastated, but after about a week or so I picked my chin up and realized that it was just one more milestone or learning experience and it really made me a stronger person. I remember when I would talk to other people about it or people who were going through the same type of thing, they told me that I gave great advice because I was so sensitive and caring towards them; someone even told me that I was their idol for being so strong.
Being the oldest child out of three has also made me stronger, wiser and a lot more mature than some people. I know when to have fun and be goofy and spunky but I also know when it is time to buckle down and get serious. With my parents working a lot of long hours, I’ve had to pick up a lot of responsibility throughout the years, sort of picking up a “second mom” role. Although it can be frustrating sometimes to have to miss out on certain things because my parents are working or I have responsibilities at home, I’ve learned to appreciate it. Yes it would be more fun to go out with friends more, but I’m learning more life lessons and getting better prepared for the future. My role at my house has really contributed to my caring, heart-on-my-sleeve nature just because I have to take care of my sisters and be patient with them. It’s also made me a lot more responsible; I’ve heard so many times from family members and friends how responsible I am, and how lucky my mom is to have me. I’m not trying to toot my own horn but I am counted on a lot and if it wasn’t for the things I do, my sisters and I would not be able to do sports or other extracurriculars.
Through the Meyers-Briggs personality test, I learned that my personality type is ENFJ, which means Extrovert, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging. People with my same personality type are often described as someone who does not like confrontation, which I don’t. The thought of starting an argument with someone or saying something that may offend someone makes me sick to my stomach. ENFJ’s have very caring and outgoing personality types, which makes it hard to be confrontational because my nature tells me that it’s wrong. Sometimes that does allow people to walk all over me because I am such a “people pleaser” but I just can’t help it. I love seeing and making people happy which is why the “Extrovert” label really does suit me. Lastly, ENFJ’s are great at supporting and encouraging others. Whenever a family member, boyfriend, classmate, or anyone like that has an event, wants to start a club, or even just needs help I am always one of the first people to ask. My goal in life is to do what makes me happy and if that includes making other people happy then so be it.
Despite my blonde hair, I really do have a lot of mental strengths. For one I am a really good writer, I’ve even won multiple awards for my writing in Journalism and English class. My strengths in writing are really what have compelled me to pursue the second half of my dream career of photojournalism. My highest score on the ACT test was for the writing portion which I was really the most nervous about because I know that I can perform well when writing papers that have a long time to write but I didn’t know how well I would do under pressure. My physical strengths, although there are really not many, I do have some. For example, I have played on the girls’ golf team all four years of high school and I have really improved since the first year to now. One of my weaknesses is that I get flustered very easily when it comes to certain subjects and not understanding things; however, if I study and really try to grasp the material I have pretty good test scores. I am not the best test taker in the world and even have some anxiety towards them, but when I prepare myself and do my best it usually pays off.
When I think about my life and how I’ve lived these past seventeen years, I am very proud of myself and how much I have learned. I’ve learned, more than anything, to just live in the moment and do what makes you and other people happy because one day you will regret it. It’s the little things in life that make it all worth it and as famous artist Andy Warhol once said, “You have to be willing to get happy about nothing.” Every little thing has happened in my life for a reason, and although I don’t know that reason yet, I regret absolutely nothing. I could not be happier and that’s one piece of advice I’d give to someone else, to be yourself and people will either love or hate you for that but no matter what it’s all for a reason and a greater purpose.
Photography
Being original and artistic has always been a trait of mine. All of the time I try to stand out and be creative. Around my sophomore year of high school I discovered not only my escape, but my passion photography. I started just taking pictures of flowers outside one day and when they turned out to be pretty amazing, even being complimented on them by my mom who owns a photography business, I realized that I had found what I wanted to do. For Christmas I got myself a professional-grade camera, a Canon Rebel, and now my pictures are as amazing as ever. I take my camera to certain events such as powder puff games and pep assemblies and have developed a role as sort of the “class photographer.” It makes me so excited for my future to know that someday I will be doing what I love for my job.
As a Journalist in my preferred career of Photojournalism, being able to take great pictures is essential. If I cannot take pictures that not only stand out and are different from other people, I will not be hired for that particular job. I need to be able to not only take great and original pictures but also ones that are right for the job. In my personal life, photography has also opened up to me as an escape. Whenever I am stressed, I go out and take pictures and it really does relax me. It’s seriously so beautiful to me that I can take something as simple as a flower and capture the beauty in it that others may not be able to see. Photography truly is one of my best skills that I possess and I could not be more proud of myself for it.
Being Able to Take The Steps Necessary to Choose The College That is Right For Me
As for every senior out there, choosing a college to attend is very stressful and sometimes difficult. For me, the biggest choice was choosing between what my mom wanted for me and what I felt would benefit me the most in my life. My mom wanted me to attend a Christian University, especially because both of my cousins attend or have attended one. I understand that, and I was willing to look however, I knew that I also had a great interest in attending Grand Valley State University. So, I took two days off of school and went out to look at two colleges, Cornerstone University and Grand Valley. On the first day, I visited Grand Valley and needless to say, as soon as I stepped on campus, I felt right at home. The class sizes, the campus, and even just the idea of being a student there excited me more than anything. The next day, I visited Cornerstone and although it was extremely nice, I just did not feel as great of a sense of belonging there.
After making the tough decision that I would rather attend Grand Valley, I sent in my application and waited a seemingly endless two weeks to find out if I was accepted or not. One day after school, I came home to find a big envelope with my acceptance letter in it and I can honestly say it was one of the happiest moments of my life. Being able to pick the college that’s best for me and only me was definitely a hard skill to learn but once I had my heart set on choosing Grand Valley State, I did not give up and it really paid off. Having the ability to choose what is best for you is probably one of the best skills to have as it shows that you are an individual and can choose for yourself.
Being able to take the steps necessary to plan your future is probably the best thing you can do in your professional and personal life as it prepares you for the rest of your future. As a journalist, the fact that I chose the right college for me to learn the trade of journalism will give me the edge to be a very useful asset to a publication. In my personal life, being able to choose for myself and take the steps I need for my future makes it so that I will be responsible in my life. I will be able to choose for myself and set myself apart from the rest. Choosing college is a hard decision for many people; however, it is also one of the most important ones. Being able to get that decision right and be confident in it is one skill that I am very proud to say that I poses.