Steven Quintin
Gaylene Croker
English Composition
2/26/13
Today was an interesting assignment because I got a chance to get to know someone on a personal level. This person opened up about his personal life which is something I can appreciate. I feel talking about your life can be very personal and it isn’t easy to open up and expose yourself to a complete stranger.
David Renteria is a student here. He was born in Santa Barbara. He lived there for a few years before he and his family moved to Oxnard. After a year, he and his family settled down in Port Hueneme. David spent most of his elementary years attending school in the Oxnard School District. Some of the schools he attended were Park View Elementary, E.O. Green Elementary, and Hueneme High School. It wasn’t an easy transition for David to live here in Port Hueneme. David developed a rebellious way about him. He often took his frustrations out through confrontational situations with other students. David said he would often get into fights that would result in him getting detention or transferred to another school. While in high school, David dropped out because of the issues he was going through. It was becoming too difficult trying to focus on classes when he was under a lot of pressures and having to adapt to different schools all the time. Some of the people that he hung out with may have contributed to these altercations. He eventually ended up finishing high school through independent education .
After finishing high school, David made decisions that would change his life. He didn’t want to end up like some of his friends who made bad decisions that eventually resulted in doing jail time or putting their lives in danger. David discovered many interest that he was passionate about. Surfing and skateboarding is something that he really loved to do. He still does. It kept him busy and focused towards a positive lifestyle. It felt normal, a kind of freedom that gave him a sense of stress release.
David also studied boxing, here in Oxnard and trains on a regular basis. Al, who is his trainer is someone who David looks up to. He’s very passionate about boxing. It helps him stay mentally focused when he is shadow boxing and says his training with Al also promotes his physical health and stamina. He still does these things when he has the time. .
As a young adult, David presently works part time at Cosco. He puts in about thirty five hours a week and attends school full time here at Oxnard College. David says his brother Erik is someone who motivates him. Erik always told David to study hard in school to succeed in life. He would always say, ”Make something of yourself.” When asking David about his studies here at Oxnard College, he said he was surprised that he was even attending school because of his struggles growing up. He enjoys the close commute, which is convenient for him. It allows David to keep his current job while going to school locally. Saving money on classes is also cheaper than attending classes at a university. He plans on transferring to a university after he receives his Associates of Science degree in Radiology. David wants to be an x-ray technician. Once he gets his degree, he plans to move to New York where he will continue his career. Having a family isn’t something that David has thought about yet. He just wants to establish his career first.
David’s motto is,” It doesn’t matter who you are, you can do it.” Well, I also believe that is true no matter what your background is or where you came from, you can be whatever you choose in life. You just have to want it bad enough and work hard . David has had many opportunities to choose from in life that could have easily ended up with negative consequences.
When talking with David, my first impression was that he had a normal upbringing without any type of hardship or troublesome childhood. David is a very outgoing person and positive about what he is doing right now. He definitely knows what he wants out of life. Being a positive role model towards his younger siblings and other friends is important to him. I believe he will be successful in his field of study and a positive role model for those who associate with him.
In conclusion, I thought this interview was a good experience. Not only did I get a chance to get to know David on a personal level about his past, present, and future plans but it gave me an insight on how people in general are easy to get along with when it comes to trusting someone. Here we are in a classroom doing a assignment that became a kind of psychological experience for both parties being interviewed. People aren’t that different from each other. We may have experiences that we may have encountered in the past that influences our decisions in life but most of us can relate to each other on a certain level with a respectable understanding.
