Who’s Your Role Model?

Hello all! 

Welcome to KSSU’s September collab post. This month’s question is: 

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and how you carry yourself/aspire to be? Could be an artist, podcaster, sports figure, or even just your parents.

Please enjoy the responses and look forward to October’s post! 

Hussam (dj bluegoose)

The biggest influence on my life besides the sports stars, music phenoms, and creative worldbuilders, is my father. 

But if I was to answer this question even just a year ago, I’m not sure I would have said the same thing. 

It has taken time and real-world experience for me to truly appreciate the plights and perseverance my father has endured – even to this day. 

I have replicated, as much as I can or allowed myself to (and at times even subconsciously), his habits, speaking patterns, mannerisms, and personality. It’s a bit funny because from a look perceptive, me and my dad couldn’t look apart, but that’s almost the beauty in it. We share, in certain veins, similar ways of looking at life. Both are relatively open-minded, curious, persistent, but also stubborn, loud, passionate, a bit too unselfish.

My father has influenced me in ways I don’t think I could really understand.

To answer the last bit of the question, in terms of aspiration of who I want to be. I’m not sure yet. I think there are most definitely aspects of my father that I truly aspire to be but not holistically. At the end of the day, I am very much my own person, flaws and all. I am enterally grateful and appreciative of all that my father has, and continues to, guide me with but I think there is also a healthy let go mark to truly become yourself, in whatever ways.

In the end, besides the complicated relationship between us, I wouldn’t want anyone us to be the leading male figure in my personal life.

Jacob De Jesus (DJ JD)

Not surprising at all, but the most influential thing in my life would definitely be music. It’s not just listening; on top of sharing my music taste on my radio show, I’ve been playing music for most of my life. My grandma was a singer and a choir teacher, and she always encouraged me to explore many different types of music and instruments.

I played piano intermittently throughout childhood using the family piano, but what made music such an influence in my life was joining a band in middle school. I’m a music education major and if it weren’t for the decision to start in middle school I wouldn’t have followed this path. Getting practice in performance also helped me find confidence which is important, especially when I was younger and a lot more shy.

Being a band kid doesn’t usually change people’s lives that significantly, but the experience of talking with other kids interested in music showed me a lot about the culture surrounding live music and performing. It broadened my horizons and I learned about music I would have never heard if it wasn’t for the people I was in band with. It was also insanely influential because finding other people to talk about what music they like. This is where I learned that most classical musicians do not listen to the music they play in their ensembles. It’s funny but I met a lot of friends that listen to emo and punk music.

That was what exposed me to new music and kept me listening to that kind of music, and now it’s the music I play in my radio show. I didn’t realize it when I was eleven but joining band class would be the most influential decision of my life. If it weren’t for learning an instrument I definitely would not be doing what I’m doing now or be the person I am today.

Claire Boskovich (DJ WINX)

The biggest influence on my life is definitely my family. There aren’t too many of us, just my mom, dad, sister, and grandma, but we are very close. My family has taught me the importance of being kind to others. It was our most important rule: to treat others the way we would want to be treated. I am so thankful they modeled what that kindness looked like to me. I am also grateful for how they shaped my sense of humor.

My sister is one of the funniest people I know. I’ve never laughed harder in my entire life than when I’m with her. I’m the baby of the family, and I naturally fell into the role of court jester at my house. I loved making my parents and sister laugh at all the dumb things I would do. That carries on to this day, as I love annoying my friends and getting them to laugh until our stomachs hurt.

Each family member has shaped me in their own unique ways. My dad taught me to love nature and adventure. He took us hiking, skiing, traveling, and so much more. My mom taught me how to love others unconditionally. She is the most caring person I know. My grandma taught me to be loud, proud, and completely myself, even when it scares me to put myself out there. My sister has shaped so much of who I am and what I love. We grew up watching, listening to, and loving all the same things. She’s who I credit with my sense of style.

They have all shown me how beautiful and precious this life can be. Because of them, I want to be a better person than I was yesterday. I am so lucky to have them in my life.

Destini Rich, (DJ De)

The many times in my life that I’ve been asked, “who is your idol?”, “who do you look up
to, who inspires you, who do you aspire to be like?” I have never been able to pinpoint
my answer to one person or thing. There are a few that come to mind for having
influenced my altruistic nature or enhanced my curiosity, and I have taken varying levels
of insight and “pieces” of every single person I have ever met, but there is not one
person who I can credit for the way I carry myself.

My answer to this question, as unselfishly as possible, is me. I am exactly everything I
could ever dream to be, I’ve learned more from the way I handle stressors and hardship
than any one figure ever could have taught me. I am the goodness that I’ve looked for
my entire life, I am who I would want in a best friend. I do not look to others for much in
the way of guidance or fulfillment as much as I do in myself, introspectively. I know how
this may sound, but it is my truth- I am my dream figure.

And I will do everything in my power to keep improving this figure of self in ways that benefit others at the same time; there is always work to be done on yourself, and I will always aspire to be like anyone who advocates for these improvements.

END

(psst…hey. keep being yourself) – blog editor huss