Response to- http://profptj.blogspot.com/2009/09/explorations-question-2.html
When one enters my dorm, the first thing that one would see are the posters on my wall. They hang behind the front of my bed and cover my entire half of the wall. They are mementos from various shows- The Dresden Dolls, Against Me!, Gallows, Oreskaband- that I've seen in the past. Each carries its memories and nostalgia.
Oddly enough, each serves as a reminder of family.
Like every adolescent, I went through a rebellious phase. At various points throughout my adolescence, I styled myself a goth, and punk, an anarchist, and a socialist, among other things. I played loud and fast punk rock, creepy metal, and brooding “emo” rock. I got a pair of tall Doc Marten boots for my Bat Mitzvah.
Through all of this, my parents did not react in frustration or confusion. They bought me the clothes and music I liked for Christmas, Hanukkah and my birthdays. They accompanied me to concerts in D.C., Baltimore, and Towson. It seemed as if they were alright with my pretention and brooding.
Years later, I’ve grown up. I’m not completely finished yet, but I can look at this period and laugh at my behavior. In contrast, with all seriousness, I’m grateful for my parents’ love and support throughout this phase. Even as I was turning into an ungrateful nuisance, they did all they could for me, trying their best to make me happy with what I liked at the time, no matter how ridiculous or outrageous it seemed to them. Though the posters in my room come from shows I went to when my musical tastes matured, when I look at them, I can’t help but think back to those earlier shows my parents brought me, even as they questioned the talents of the bands we were about to see. Ultimately, they serve as a reminder of the same love and support that I still find from home as I did then.
Viewer reaction- My roommate Sofie says that the music posters, which come from an eclectic array of genres and artists, show that I am not one to follow what is popular. Such an assessment may not exactly match that which I had written above, but it nonetheless complements and completes it. I am not and never have been one to follow popular trends just for popularity’s sake. In my past, the trends I followed were unpopular for a reason. Now, my favorite music, art, and clothing, and my mentality, lifestyle, and beliefs are considered obscure if only because they fit my own identity. This emphasis on being myself came from the love and support of my parents that I’ve received throughout my life, and that I am reminded of every time at stare at the music posters that hang on the walls of my dorm.
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