I was 15 years old, sitting at a table in an ice cream shop with the owners of the business. It was my first job interview when they asked me the question, "Who is Abigail Wallisch?” I didn’t know how to answer. I answered with the first thing that popped into my head, an answer I fail to remember. They then asked if my friends could define me with one word, what would it be. I knew they would say “crazy,” but I came up with another thoughtless answer. Crazy was not a word I wanted potential employers to associate with me.

This memory had me wonder how I’m to be defined today, for I have grown tremendously in many ways in the past four years. I asked those who know me the best if they could describe me in one word what it would be.

After some teasingly sarcastic, I received a variety of honest responses. In order of who knows me the best, these responses are: crazy, thoughtful, quirky, selfless, caring, gregarious, well-rounded, bubbly, fun-loving, energetic, friendly, and dramatic.

Turns out, no two people used the same word. Unlike during high school, different people see me in different environments, therefore affecting their perception of me. Responses make a lot of relative sense based on shared experiences and the environment. For example, my long distance best friend sees my plethora of activities and hobbies from an outside perspective, which is why he chose the word, “well-rounded.” A girl at school who heard me vent my whole life story on multiple occasions said I am dramatic. Intriguing how everyone views the same subject differently.

If everyone had the same perception of who I am and the best word to describe that, I wonder how my friendships would change. Who would stick around if they saw me in the eyes of someone else? Who would leave me behind? Who would be a friend who otherwise wouldn’t? Maybe the difference between others’ perceptions is something that keeps each friendship unique and interesting.

Then I wondered how I would describe myself in a few sentences. I am hard working, well rounded, disciplined when necessary, and a procrastinator who can’t clean her room to save her life. I am a knowledgeable idiot who gets high grades but also spaces out. I am hyperactive, loud, extroverted, talkative, obnoxiously annoying girl who gets in the way. I am outdoorsy and adventurous. I am a drama queen who is working hard to mellow down that side of herself. I am opinionated, empathetic, outspoken, and will stand up for those I’m close to. I am self-confident in my looks, but not my personality. I am emotionally sporadic, mentally unstable, yet spiritually grounded.

I could write an entire book describing who I am, for the list above merely scratches the surface.

Maybe there is no easy way to completely describe anyone. Human personalities are so multi-dimensional that there is no true way to encompass such a complex idea in a singular paragraph. No one knows the entire story of any one person, including themselves. Maybe that’s the reason behind that classic question asked at job interviews. Maybe employers want to gauge what potential employees believe are the most important details of their own self-perception, and will these specific details properly line up with essential qualities for the job. No matter the case, defining who you are can be an uplifting experience that can be beneficial to facing challenges in the future, especially for that 15-year-old applying for a job at the local ice cream shop.