Riley Week 2: What Makes a Riley?
As I’ve gotten older I have been asked some variant of the same question: What makes a Riley? I’m not going to be pretentious and argue that the question was intended to be a compliment. I know people mean it as an insult, carrying the implication of, Are you even real? How does someone of such an odd nature and mind come to be?
After conferring with my mother, father, and grandparents I can conclude that most of my qualities are congenital.
I’ve always been money and business oriented. Growing up, I was constantly asking how much things cost to get some kind of grasp on the economic state of the world. In the first grade, I had begged my mother to host a yard sale so I could sell some of my things to bring in money and exchange it for my school currency, All Star Bucks, but she denied my request because a yard sale was “too much work.”
All Star Bucks, or ASB, were rewarded to children who followed directions and did good deeds, which students could then exchange for prizes. As an undiagnosed six-year-old with ADHD, I was inattentive, and therefore unlikely to receive said All Star Bucks.
To counter this challenge, I created a black market system at my school to earn the money I needed to purchase a toy snake. I stole origami paper from my family’s communal art cabinet, and sat on a bench at lunch and recess waiting for clients to come in, trading ASB for my paper.
In the end, I got caught and the principal called my parents, who found the situation hilarious but refused to admit so to me when I was getting scolded.
I was fifteen when I took the initiative to get a job and achieve some state of financial independence from my parents. The first thing I bought with my first paycheck was literally a wad of one hundred two dollar bills. I held them in my hand like they contained my hopes and dreams (which they did).
I have been known to speak my mind to a fault. I say things how they are, often sarcastically and in a way that harms those around me. I have always questioned everything, never fully believing anything my parents would tell me, with the exception of the Tooth Fairy. There was and is absolutely no way to convince me to do something if I do not want to do it. As a child I would either lead things or not take part in them at all.
I have always maintained a state of independence, which I guess is what makes Riley Riley.
I do not recall a single instance where I looked back and thought, “What is everyone else doing?”, because in honesty it never mattered to me.
What do you think most shapes who you are?
Hi Riley! I could see exactly what was going through your head when you started a black market just for a toy snake. My fourth grade teacher had a similar system where we would be rewarded with credits to buy minifigures and toys; obviously, being the rebellious fourth grader I was, I wagered on every wallball game in an effort to get all these credits. In elementary school I would often get in trouble because I was a nonstop talker, no matter who my teacher put me next to. Moving my seat never really solved anything because I would just start talking to someone new. Reading your story reminded me of how our personalities show up so early, as I remain a talkative person to this day.
ReplyDeleteI also like your statement about how other people’s perspectives did not matter to you. I think that is something that I struggled with in my earlier years—I would often worry about what other people thought of me and it played a role in my decisions. Over the past few years, I have learned to be myself and I think it really has helped me, which is why I believe it is really important that you are sharing it. Really interesting blog overall, and hoping to see more!
I was curious about the question you mentioned at the beginning; what made you feel that it was meant as an insult rather than a compliment?
ReplyDeleteI found it really meaningful to hear you talk about your past and your relationship with money. It reminded me of how we grow up and change through our experiences, but at the same time we still carry parts of who we were as kids. I think those experiences are what shape your character and help explain the hardworking person you are today.
I also related to what you said about finding different ways around things as a kid; I experienced something similar while growing up with undiagnosed ADHD. It's interesting how we live with something without fully understanding it, but still find our own ways to adapt and deal with things that are unfair or difficult.
I think it was beautiful that you recognized your weakness because I think it's the first step to growth and it shows a lot of self-awareness. I really admire how independent you are and how you focus on your own path instead of worrying about what everyone else is doing.
I definitely believe my life experiences and the people who surround me have shaped the person I am today! I am like a kaleidoscope of every person I have met!
ReplyDeleteI am sure you know that I am also interested in pursuing business, being in the same Entrepreneurship class as you. However, this story you shared is incredibly heartwarming, and I am smiling hearing about how you started your entrepreneurial ventures at such a young age!
My time in elementary school has become my favorite years to reminisce on, so thank you for giving me the opportunity to reflect back and think about how I acted back then!
Similar to you, back in sixth grade, I would make my younger brother spend his own class dollars to buy me erasable pens, which I used all throughout middle school, because my teacher did not have a class shop!
Hi Riley! I think it is funny how something as simple as wanting a toy snake turned into an entire business operation. I also connected with the part about questioning everything. Your story about the Tooth Fairy was also funny because it shows that you have always been someone who wants things to make sense instead of just believing something because you are told. I think being willing to ask why instead of automatically accepting something can shape the way a person thinks as they continue to grow up. I especially liked how you ended by saying you never really cared about what everyone else was doing. It made me think about how many personalities from staying true to ourselves rather than trying to fit in.
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