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[maddiemunroe10]

Why Does University Feel So Competitive?

One thing I've noticed since starting university is how easy it is to compare yourself to other people. Even when no one is directly competing, it can sometimes feel like everyone is measuring their success against everyone else. People talk about grades, internships, future careers, and what they plan to do after graduation. I don't think anyone is intentionally trying to create pressure, but being surrounded by those conversations can make certain goals feel more important than they otherwise would. It has made me wonder how much of what I want for myself comes from my own interests and how much comes from the environment around me. The more time I spend at university, the more I realize that the people and institutions around us can influence what we see as important or successful.

[maddiemunroe10]

Why Do Traditions Matter?

My mom's birthday was the other day, and it made me think about how many traditions families have without really questioning them. Every year, we celebrate in pretty much the same way. There are certain things we always do, and over time those routines have just become expected. Growing up, I never thought much about it because it felt normal. Now that I'm older, I realize those traditions are part of what makes my family feel like my family. They create a sense of continuity and connection, even when life gets busy. It also makes me wonder how different family celebrations look in other households and cultures. Something that feels completely normal to me might seem unusual to someone else. The more I think about it, the more I realize that traditions are one of the ways culture gets passed down through everyday experiences rather than through formal lessons.

[maddiemunroe10]

Why Do I Believe What I Believe?

One thing I’ve noticed as I’ve gotten older is that people can grow up in very similar environments and still end up with completely different values. I know people who went to the same schools, grew up in the same community, and were exposed to many of the same experiences as me, yet we sometimes see certain issues very differently. It’s made me think about where values actually come from. Culture clearly influences the way we think, but people are not all shaped by culture in exactly the same way. We all have different experiences, relationships, and personalities that affect how we interpret the world around us. The more I think about it, the more I realize that culture may provide a framework for how people see the world, but it doesn't determine exactly what everyone will believe.

[maddiemunroe10]

Would I Be the Same Person Somewhere Else?

As I get older, I sometimes wonder what it would be like to move somewhere completely different. I’ve lived in the same place my whole life, so I’ve never really had to adjust to a new environment or culture. Because of that, it’s easy to assume that the way I think and act is just part of my personality. But if I had grown up somewhere else, around different people, values, and expectations, would I still be the same person? I think some parts of me probably would be, but a lot of things I consider normal might be completely different. The way I communicate, what I value, and even how I see success may have been shaped by where I grew up more than I realize. The more I think about it, the more I realize that who we are is shaped not only by our own choices but also by the places and people around us. Sometimes it’s hard to tell where personality ends and culture begins.

[maddiemunroe10]

How Childhood Teaches You What Feels "Normal"

I’ve been thinking about how many “normal” behaviours are actually learned really early without people realizing it. Even small things like how close you stand to someone, how often you make eye contact, or whether you interrupt during conversations are cultural in some way. Growing up, there were certain expectations about respect that I never questioned because they just felt obvious to me. Then when you meet people with different backgrounds, you realize they learned completely different social rules that feel just as natural to them. It makes me think a lot about childhood and how much of personality is actually shaped by the environment people grow up in. People usually talk about personality like it’s something completely individual, but culture probably influences it way more than most people think. 

[maddiemunroe10]

How Social Media Quietly Shapes People

One thing I keep thinking about is how social media makes cultural pressure feel way more intense than it probably used to. Trends spread so fast now that people start acting, dressing, speaking, and even thinking similarly without realizing it. Sometimes it feels like everyone is performing the same personality online. People want to seem effortless, attractive, successful, funny, interesting, but not like they’re trying too hard. I think a lot of people end up shaping themselves around what gets approval online, even when they believe they are being completely original. What’s weird is that most people also know social media is unrealistic, but it still affects how they see themselves anyway.

[maddiemunroe10]

Are We Supposed to Be the Same Person Everywhere?

I’ve started noticing how much people change depending on who they are around, even though everyone talks about “being yourself” like there is one fixed version of a person. I act different with my friends than I do in class, at work, or around older family members, and honestly I think most people do. But some environments treat changing depending on the situation as fake, while other environments see it as respectful or socially aware. Growing up, I was taught to pay attention to other people, especially elders, and act accordingly. Online though, people are encouraged to have one strong, consistent identity all the time. It’s interesting because now I notice people judging others for being “different” in different situations, when adapting yourself to different social settings is probably something everyone naturally does.

[maddiemunroe10]

What Counts as Success?

The older I get, the more I notice how differently people define success. A lot of the environments around me, especially university and social media, push this idea that success is mostly individual. It’s about standing out, being the best, getting recognition, and constantly improving yourself. Even conversations with people my age usually focus on grades, careers, money, or networking. None of those things are bad, but I’ve realized that growing up Indigenous made me think about success differently too. In my family, being there for people, helping relatives, and staying connected to community mattered just as much as personal achievement. I think that’s why some spaces can feel strangely competitive or disconnected to me. It made me realize culture affects not just what people do, but what they think is worth caring about in the first place.