I am strong, but not dominatingly so. I am confident, but not arrogantly so. I am resolved, but not uncompromisingly so. I speak my mind, but I am not brusque in my judgments. I am pragmatic in the manner in which I approach decisions, but relish in the excitement spontaneity. I believe that the objective truth is the only truth that exists, but that is just my subjective opinion.

I am political and philosophical, but abhor idealistic political philosophies. I am conservative on certain issues and liberal on others, but I am calmly rational about all for which I take a stand. I am constantly questioning the authority of the divine, but I am incapable of relegating our existence to mere coincidence. I am concerned about the environment, but will never become an environmentalist. I am intrigued by the stock market, but will never work on Wall Street.

My family is the closest connection that I have with my past, but they will not always be there to encourage me in the future. The friendships I have made throughout my life are the strongest support I will have for the future, but only a handful of them are ones who I could count on to be there for me at a moment’s notice. I could not live without the company of others, but could spend days on end footing it alone through the untouched wilderness of the Adirondacks. I enjoy the peaceful serenity of the countryside, but invariably return to the commotion and hubbub of city life.

I grew up in New York, but I hate the Yankees. I live in Boston, but only habitually follow the Red Sox. I love European soccer almost as much as I enjoy American football, but I cannot stand the destructive mob mentality that accompanies either. I run every day, but would never call myself a runner. I think of myself as a cycling enthusiast, even though I no longer own a bike.

Neither of my parents went to college, but ending my education with a high school diploma was never an option growing up. I read as much as I can in order to broaden my horizons, but I accept that there are things out there that I will never even know that I did not know. I see now, at twenty, what I long to do when I am forty, but will probably have no idea at forty what I wanted to do when I was twenty. I have wanted to study law for as long as I can remember, but recall a time when this was not the case. I am consistent in my contradictions, but I’d have it no other way.

A non-exhaustive list:

Books: Fahrenheit 451, Hamlet, Flowers for Algernon, The Prince, Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, The Sound and the Fury, Frankenstein, Anabasis of Xenophon, The Republic, The Oresteia, The Aeneid, The Iliad/The Odyssey, The Brothers Karamazov

Movies: Superbad, Big Lebowski, Swingers, Good Fellows, The Godfather, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Gattica, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction

TV Shows: Family Guy, Ninja Warrior, Unbeatable Banzuke, Jeopardy, The Office, Lost, How It's Made, Scrubs, South Park, The Simpsons, House M.D., Cops, Saturday Night Live (pre-2002)

Music: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Snoop Dogg, 2 Pac, The Beatles, David Bowie, Dropkick Murphys, The Doors, Gorillaz, Sublime, Jay Z, Metallica, Pixies, The Strokes, REM, Queen

Although I am dedicated to my school work, I'm perhaps the last person you would expect to see sitting in my room on a Saturday evening studying. I like socializing with people, whether it's going out and partying all night, throwing a BBQ with some friends, kicking back and watching a movie or just going downtown and walking along the Charles.

You are someone who enjoys going out and having a good time with other people one night and can stay in and enjoy a mellow evening the next.