"Who Are You?"

That's a GREAT question. Actually, during one of my incredibly exciting Saturday-night studying escapades during the month of September, someone asked me this question. 

He was a Norwegian dude in his late-thirties who asked me if I was an Eastern European studying English in the states. I obviously said "no", but the conversation continued (he was very persistent and seemed harmless). He said I looked the part then proceeded to tell me all about this incredibly tall woman who is famous in the UK for marrying a man nearly a foot shorter than her....Then, he showed me a video of this couple on his laptop. Then, he told me about a book he is writing about Icelandic fairies. Somehow Anime was involved. He wanted to show me some YouTube videos about that, but I said I didn't have time. 

Anyway, he asked me if he could pose one more question before I left. He told me that someone recently asked him this question while he was traveling, and it deeply affected him. He said it changed his life, even. I agreed to hear him out. 

So he says, "Who are you?"

Woah. I stared blankly for a bit (and probably looked like a massive idiot), and I truly had no idea what to say. 

"Um...Do you mean, what do I do?"

"No" he says, "I mean - Who are you?"

Seems simple enough, right? But, no, it really isn't. Think about it...

All I could come up with was "Work in progress. I'm really not sure yet". 

Let's hope I'm right...

Truth is, it's really true. I have a "sense of self", but I don't know much more than that. I know that I had an identity crisis in college. But is it so bad to believe that we are constantly changing and evolving? Yes, I will always have the same DNA, and unless I go to great measures, I will still look the same and will probably have the same name (maybe I will change my surname one day if someone decides they want to put up with me for the rest of our lives). Nevertheless, I believe that our experiences shape us, and people do change.

"I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense." - Harold S. Kushner

So...WHO AM I? Well, here's what I know so far:

My name is Melissa Catherine Wheeler.

I'm 23 and a Gemini.

I'm obsessed with astrology - it explains a lot of personality quirks that we all inevitably have, IMO.

I've lived in Orange County my entire life. 
I have a love/hate relationship with Orange County.

I will never live outside of California, but as of now, I favor the Northern half.

I'm naturally blonde - but darker than my current shade.

I have freakishly small feet for my size - 7.5.
I don't have health insurance and can't get it in this country due a pre-existing condition.
I am an organ donor.
I drive a lime green Honda Element.

I'm just under 6 feet tall (but I prefer 5'12").

I know that all tall girls have awkward stages (hopefully mine will end soon).

I'm the epitome of an extrovert. 

I was voted "Most Outgoing" of my 8th grade class.

I'm incredibly competitive.

I can be very sassy and sarcastic. 

Sometimes I can be bitchy and difficult.

I'm emotional. 

I can be really hard on myself.

I can be intense - which I understand to be both good and bad.

I'm ridiculously analytical.

My mom says I can't out of the womb arguing.

I make decisions with both my head and my heart, which isn't always a good thing.

I think too much.

I'm optimistic, generally. 

The glass is half-full...but it could be empty soon.

I laugh a lot.

I love to make other people laugh and will make fun of myself in order to do so.

I strive to be a good friend everyday.

I'm right-handed. 

I am NOT a clean freak when it comes to my room and being organized.

However, I am a clean freak when it comes to personal hygiene.

I'm very independent and am good at entertaining myself.

I'm very "Type A" and can be stubborn.

I'm outspoken and can be confrontational (but, maturity has helped with this). 

I love meeting new people and can talk about anything (and usually, everything).

I can always find something in common with anyone I meet.

I've been obsessed with the internet and all social media since I discovered it.

I love technology in general.

I am a Mac person.

However, I am a BlackBerry lover.

CRACK-Berry is more appropriate. I'm addicted to my phone.

I love twitter - LOVE it. 

I gave up facebook for over 2 months while studying for the LSAT and no one can believe I survived.

I find facebook chat incredibly annoying.

I've online dated and had a great experience (would definitely do it again).

People that online date really have nothing to be embarrassed about. 

I've been known to make a fool out of myself and will totally embrace that. 

I played water polo in high school and in college.

I went to UC Berkeley, and loved it.

I was in a sorority - Kappa Kappa Gamma.

I was a Rhetoric major and nearly minored in Eastern Asian studies.

I took several courses on Buddhism (which was amazing). 

I wanted to double major in Philosophy, but it would have been nearly impossible thanks to the several hours a day I spent playing water polo.

Don't tell my teammates, but I loved our conditioning workouts. 

I also enjoyed lifting weights. 

I definitely consider myself to be a girly-tomboy.

I've always kind of been a nerdy-jock, too. I love sports and am a total bookworm. 

I'm a grammar snob and will judge you if you use there instead of their.

I love to read.

I don't watch TV.

My life is full of contradictions

I have wanted to be a lawyer since I was in 8th grade. 

I listen to Christmas music in the summer and listen to it CONSTANTLY after October 31st.

I love holidays.

"Christmas" is my favorite smell.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is my favorite movie of all time.

I also love independent films. 

I sometimes enjoy movies and books that are considered "dark".

I'm a total weirdo and I don't believe in taking life (or yourself) too seriously.

I've had a "thing" for Hello Kitty and Sanrio since I was really little.

My debit card is pink and white and features Hello Kitty.

Meow.

I am a cat/dog/farm-animal/reptile/bird/you-get-the-picture person.

I am a morning person.

I am obsessed with Asian culture (I have never been to Asia, but I am dying to go).

I love all Asian cuisine, but can't eat much of it anymore.

I have a non-celiac gluten intolerance, so my diet is "gluten-free". 

There is gluten in soy sauce (which shows up in just about everything), which is unfortunate.

I feel the best I've felt in years due to this discovery, although I do miss my old diet sometimes. 

To call what I have a "sweet-tooth" would not do it justice. I have a sugar addiction.

Diet Coke is the bomb.

I love coffee.

I could eat Mexican food for every meal.

I love having a good conversation over brunch.

I love the ocean and the beach.

I've never been scared of sharks.

I grew up sailing competitively and nearly joined the Varsity sailing team in high school.

I blew it off for a spot on the Novice water polo team (I'm pretty content with that decision).

Water polo has been a HUGE part of my life.

I enjoy swimming in the ocean.

I'm a workout freak. 

I like going to the gym really late at night.

I recently took up running again, and want to do a half-marathon ASAP.

One of my major goals in life is to complete an Ironman: 26.2 miles of running, 2.2 miles of swimming and 100 miles on a road-bike.

Obviously, I'm a masochist. 

I always leave the gym in a good mood. Without fail.

I can't work out without music.

I'm a music fiend, it's a huge part of my life.

I enjoy all types of music, especially indie-alternative and electronic jams.

I love house music and can stomach country.

I download music constantly and am addicted to my ipod. 

I'm very "white" and can't dance.

I love making mixes for friends.

I have the most amazing friends, living all over the country and the world. 
I think about the people I care about constantly.

I lived in Sydney, Australia for several months this year and I miss it everyday.

I'm the first-born and have your typical first-born personality.

I'm the oldest of two.

I always wished I'd been apart of a larger family.

I have a little sister named Elizabeth. We have always called her "Curley" (don't ask).

She's 2 and a half years younger than me and is a Capricorn.

She currently attends UC Berkeley.

We don't always get along, but our relationship has improved significantly in recent years.

Now, we talk everyday and it makes me really happy.

We are incredibly different in our looks and personalities, but I think she's fantastic. 

I am really close with both of my parents, I consider them to be two of my best friends.

I think they are hilarious.

They are really supportive of everything I do.

They have been really tough on me over the years, but I owe most of my success to that.

They have given me a lot of great relationship advice.

It's not their fault that I am single (ha).

Their 25th anniversary is next summer.

They have showed me that all relationships require hard work but can be very rewarding.

They both wear the pants in the relationship.

Also, opposites can attract.

They're going to be awesome Grandparents.

I become more like them everyday.

I consider myself lucky (although it can be annoying at times).

I'm agnostic but used to be a devout Christian.

I read both testaments of the bible during my 8th grade year.

I don't believe in hell.

I believe that religion can be great for society, but organized religion causes a lot of problems.

Many religious people are hypocrites.

I believe people can benefit from attending any type of church service.

I believe in science and evolution.

However, I believe in Karma and fate.

I love many things about Buddhism.

I believe people are inherently good but we all make mistakes.

What goes around, comes around.

I believe in paying it forward.

I would like to adopt an Asian little girl one day (gendercide is such nonsense).

I believe in the institution of marriage and EVERYONE should be able to marry.

My mom always said "It's better for 2 people to love each other than for 2 people to hate each other, no matter who those people may be". That always stuck with me.

Being gay is not a choice. 

I'm very liberal when it comes to social issues. 

I believe in small government.

It's not cool to be ignorant - knowledge of current events is a necessity. 

I prefer to get my news from various online sources, especially the New York Times.

Fox News is the devil. 

ESPN is awesome and I love Sportscenter.

Go Bears and Go Lakers!

I believe in love - but not soul mates.

There is a difference between love and infatuation.

I have been in love.

When I fall, I fall hard.

I have had my heart broken.

I am a better person because of it.

I am looking for an equal in a relationship, I don't believe I need to be taken care of.

Chivalry isn't dead, it's just harder to find than it used to be.

Everyone has baggage - including me.

Life is complicated, but navigating through it can be awesome.

I believe that everyone deserves to be happy - but happiness is a choice.

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This post is ridiculously long.

If you're still reading this, good for you for making it so far! Let it be known I didn't do this in one (or two) sittings. I am procrastinating working on my Personal Statement essay for my law school apps. I figured it's good to figure out who I am and if I can even verbalize it at all. Might as well share it with anyone who wants to read it. 

To my friends that are reading this, you're probably saying "no-s***" to most of this. But for those of you who don't know me, you now know a lot of random information about me...Hopefully you "get the idea" about Melissa Wheeler. Nice to meet you.

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"The amount of happiness that you have depends on the amount of freedom you have in your heart" -Thich Nhat Hanh

Oh yeah, I'm also really, really into quotes.