Programme : HSS1011

Cohort : 2019

Course :HDN

Assignement type : Reflective Journal

Name : Li Man Yi

Student ID : 19005332

Supervisor/Assessor : Dr. Lam Kit

Word count : 1186 words

Date of submission : 13/2/2020

School of Nursing, Tung Wah College

When I was a senior form student in secondary school, I had been having huge

interest on painting as well as designing. I spent the whole of my time after school in

art room. It is the only time I can felt relaxing and delighted in the preparing

examination period. Moreover, I got remarkable results on art field which bring me

lots of awards and also scholarship. Admiration from surrounding people made me

proud of myself. Yet, my academic results could not as great as art. My mother

became over worry about my ranking of the school. She started to impede me from

painting anymore and arranged several tutorial classes for me. She wanted me to

became a nurse as it is a stable and well-paid job. She needed me to study hard in

order to get a remarkable DSE results for acquiring a nursing degree. My mom knew

that it was tough if I didn’t have any certification when compare to others. So that she

kept urge me to focus on studying. However, I didn’t think that money is more

important than what I like to do. I was very struggling of listening to my own voice or

follow my mother’s suggestion. I eventually decided to fulfill my own wishes to keep

painting in my spare time. I had several quarrels with mom about that. The

relationship between me and my mom became worst.

In that summer vacation, I decided to work as a part-time waiter in Chinese

restaurant for gaining some working experience and also pocket money. As I didn’t

work before, my manager could only provide me a low salary. I am the youngest

employee in the whole Chinese restaurant. It was quite hard for me to carry those

heavy dishes and cups. I felt frustrated and exhausted during the working time. Then,

I was told by those older aunts to work hard on studying knowledge otherwise I could

only choose the tired and low-paid job. They told me not to waste the precious

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but in a Chinese restaurant. My parents would worry about me if I did not have a great

future. Under the social norms, I was so ashamed of myself for spending most of the

time on painting which making my friends and family disappointed. I started to think

that art truly couldn’t help me for getting a great job in the future.

Then, I quit my Chinese restaurant part-time job. I think that I should focus on self-

development after talking with those aunts. According to Lawrence Kohlberg's stages

of moral development, focuses on the ways in which individual judge situations as

right or wrong. (Mcleod, 2013) Post-Conventional morality, is reached based on self-

chosen principles, considers abstract ethical principles. Am I selfish if I only consider

my personal preference. I also have to consider my parent concern. As a daughter, one

of my responsibility is reassured them. What society want is a productive and useful

person. I should fulfil their expectation of being a nurse. I staring to think about what

would I want in my life. I was so doubt and did not know what decision is better for

me. It felt like I lost in the middle of the huge sea. I afraid that if I choose nurse as my

future career, would I lose my passion of life? Nurse is never my strengths but it got

an ideal salary. In contrast, art is what I definitely good at and I love with. Afterwards,

I started finding somebody to confide my vexation. I was having conversation to my

friends who were in the same age with me. They told me that they also have the same

confusion before and do not know how to do. But they universally select the job

which is promising. They think that interest can achieve after you earn enough

money. Then, I also ask my relative who are middle-aged people. He told me that if I

choose art I would be regret because Hong Kong disregard art. Hong Kong

government do not put money on art development. It is hard to make a living on

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money and life.

The looking-glass self by Charles Horton Cooley in 1902, presenting that a

person’s self grows out of society’s interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of

others. (Crossman, 2019) It states that our self-concepts and identities comes from the

view by people surrounding. I think that I was so care about how people think of me.

Under the pressure of society norms, I don’t want to be look like as a naughty girl

who only do some meaningless craft. The person who can contribute to the society is

what I definitely want to be. I keep adjusting my thoughts. It also changed my

decision and also behavior. I want my parents proud of me as a useful person. So that

I don’t think that I should keep my interest as my future career. It is better for me to

concern about the feeling of those people who cares you.

Furthermore, I also realized that a stable and well-paid job is important for me in

the future. In our daily life, we have to use money in housing, eating, living expenses

and so on. Our wealth decided what level of quality life we have. Are we rich enough

for spending the money traveling around the world or it only enough for us to pay the

tuition fees? It is all depends on how much we earn. In this knowledge-based society,

the only way for being rich is studying. We must admit that dreams and interests can’t

support our life. Moreover, the ones’ wealth also determined his social class.

Sociologies analysis that people who are higher in social hierarchies have greater

access to control most of the rights, resources, and the power on society. (The Editors

of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2019) As an ambitious people, I want to strive for better

life quality. After I understand all these rules in the society, I decided follow my

mom’s suggestion of being a nurse. Mom seemed at ease and she was so happy of my

choice.

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my selection. They think that it is a professional career which can help people in

danger as well as it provides ideal salary. Nurse view as “good job” by society. I

further sure that it is a good choice. Although I feel hard to study as it has lot of

specific terms and concepts I have to memorize. It is still a meaningful career for me

as a future job. I feel more comfortable when I talk about what career I want to

engage. People seem more accepted of me and think that I am being loving and

caring. Eventually, I am glad that I choose nursing and I hope that I can be a helpful

and caring nurse to rescue others.

School of Nursing, Tung Wah College

Crossman, A. (2019, March 4). Biography of Charles Cooley, Originator of the Looking Glass

Self. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/charles-horton-cooley-3026487

Mcleod, S. (n.d.). Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development. Retrieved from

https://www.simplypsychology.org/kohlberg.html

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019, September 20). Social class. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-class

School of Nursing, Tung Wah College