Self-Assessment: IEE1. What do you think is the most important thing in your life? What is the least important? What are your strengths and weaknesses? I believe that what is important is to gain freedom to do what I truly enjoy, such as pursuing a job I like or cultivating a hobby I am passionate about. The least important things are various forms of formalism and meetings I dislike (such as class meetings, hundred-day pledges, opening ceremonies, or any so-called rituals that require us to follow certain rules) (however, if the meeting discusses something I like, I can accept it, such as the regular meetings of the club I joined) and some mundane topics (like celebrity gossip or school-related news (unless the news is related to me or something I like, such as an outstanding performance by someone in our Model United Nations club)), as well as integrating into circles I do not like. I excel at joking, connecting unrelated things, empathizing with others’ emotions (whether from people around me, books, music, paintings, films, or even characters I create in my mind), self-directed learning, acquiring new skills, and sometimes I have good social skills (but this depends on whether I can intuitively judge if the person is suitable for interaction), and creating things. I am not good at physical activities (like sports), following rules I dislike, integrating into groups with conflicting values, or accepting traditional values (like older people starting to eat first at a meal) (if I have to do it, I might grit my teeth and pretend, but I won’t accept it internally), doing a series of things in an orderly manner (although it has improved a lot since I started college), and controlling my inner emotions (referring to my inner self; when I want to lose my temper, I usually do not express it well, but internally I am cursing). 2. What goals do you want to achieve in society, or how do you define your role? I want to excel in a field I enjoy, rather than being assigned to a position by others and doing well, even if that position could elevate my social status and provide a high salary. My success is based on my values and in a field I truly love. 3. What is your view on human nature? Do you have a strong sense of vigilance and distrust towards others? Everyone is born like a blank sheet of paper, human nature is pure, and the words on that paper are written by each person through growth and learning. Human nature becomes corrupted due to external influences, not innate tendencies. I generally do not have a sense of vigilance towards most people. However, sometimes my intuition tells me that if I interact with certain people, I might encounter trouble (intuition usually comes from observing appearance and speech; although one should not judge by appearance, some people are just hard to get along with. But this applies to only a few people; most of the time, I gradually distance myself after realizing our values do not align). 4. How do you view your risk-taking tendencies? What is your risk tolerance? Do you easily fall into catastrophic fantasies, always assuming the worst? I think it is necessary to take risks when needed; sometimes risks are indeed required. However, I generally assess the risks, and if they are too high, I will not take the risk. But I do not usually assume the worst-case scenario; this also depends on the situation. In most cases, I believe that very bad outcomes are unlikely to happen. 5. Are you good at performing and embodying other roles (such as singing, acting, hosting, improvisation, voice acting, etc.)? Do you like to express yourself and attract attention (such as dreaming of standing on stage, becoming an internet celebrity, or being famous)? Are you good at self-promotion and packaging, managing your image? It depends on the situation; sometimes, if I cannot empathize with the role, I cannot perform well. However, if I can deeply empathize with the role, I will excel in embodying it and performing vividly. Still, in the field I love, I will definitely present myself well and hope to become famous in that area (but I do not actually want to be an internet celebrity; that profession seems to lack intrinsic value and is very commercialized). As for self-packaging… why should I cater to others? Unless the purpose of packaging is to accomplish something I love (like performing in a skit I enjoy). 6. What do you think is the essence of interpersonal relationships? Do you think interpersonal relationships need regular maintenance? If you have a childhood friend you were very close to but have not contacted for many years, would you feel “awkward” reaching out to them again? The essence of interpersonal relationships is interacting with a group of people who share similar values and can understand each other. I generally refer to many people as friends (as long as I can have a conversation with them and I find them acceptable based on my value assessment), but I do not have many close friends or best friends because I believe that close friends must be able to communicate deeply. Not necessarily. Long-term lack of contact usually means the relationship has faded; I have my reasons for not contacting them, and they likely have their reasons for not contacting me. Time can dilute friendships. However, if a long-lost friend suddenly reaches out to me, I would feel surprised and would happily respond. There is a bit of awkwardness because they might not expect me to message them suddenly, and they might even have forgotten me. However, I generally do not proactively reach out to people I have not contacted for a long time unless I see something they posted that I am very interested in (for example, a classmate from elementary school suddenly posted about their research in typology during high school, and out of curiosity, I contacted them). 7. Do you think people should fully realize their potential and live their best possible lives? I believe so. Everyone’s potential is limitless; as long as you are passionate, you can seek what you love and strive for it. 8. Are you good at multitasking and frequently switching tasks? How do you handle interruptions? I am actually quite conflicted about this. I am not a very focused person; sometimes I do my homework during class and usually chat with friends beside me. Therefore, I often multitask. However, I do not like being interrupted because I feel that I am doing something, and when someone suddenly interrupts me, it feels a bit disrespectful. Moreover, if the interruption is to make me do something I do not want to do, I will be even angrier. But if the reason for the interruption is acceptable to me, I will only be angry for that moment. 9. How do you allocate your attention between “grand narratives” and “individual lives”? I usually start from my individual experiences; when living, I first consider whether I like this matter and whether it affects my life. Then I consider whether it causes trouble for others; if it does, I will look for another solution that I hope for, and after evaluating it based on my personal values, I will consider the group. This continues until I find a reasonable solution. 10. Do you easily fall into or desire a situation filled with conflict, danger, drama, and contradictory tension? Sometimes I do. However, while I may not encounter dangerous conflicts, I often find myself in or desire dramatic scenes, and these scenes provide me with rich emotional experiences (for example, I might be in a quiet place, but in the distance, there is a sad story or a joyful atmosphere, or… as long as it allows me to have a rich emotional experience, that is enough). 11. What is your view on money? How do you spend? (Do you make impulsive emotional purchases, buy for status, buy a bunch of useless but pretty decorations, spend money like water, save as much as possible, prepare for emergencies, or hoard?) Aside from basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter, I am generally quite frugal. However, this frugality is related to my values. First, I will not spend a lot of money on a brand unless the brand affects the quality of the item (for example, some cheap clothes that fade). Secondly, the things I am willing to spend money on are those I consider important, such as books, or I might buy some impractical but beautiful items (mainly because these items have a lot of style). For daily necessities, I will choose cheaper options when the quality is comparable; they just need to be usable, unless they are exceptionally beautiful. If it is something I like, then it does not matter if I spend a lot of money as long as it makes me feel good. 12. Are you conscious of your body awareness and health status? (Do you know when it is hot or cold to change clothes, do you know when you are sick, do you have hypochondria, etc.) I actually do not know if I am sick, nor do I have hypochondria. However, I do feel discomfort in my body and will see a doctor or ask family and friends when that happens. But sometimes I really forget to change clothes when it is cold or hot. 13. Are you a person with strong “insight”? (Can you easily penetrate the surface and see the essence of things, assess their potential, and do you have a kind of “one glance determines everything” intuitive perception?) Sometimes I am, especially in interpersonal interactions (as mentioned earlier); sometimes I can accurately judge people at a glance. I can also see the essence of things, but not quickly, and not for everything. 14. How do you define and understand “value”? (Such as scarcity, providing convenience to others, resource exchange, etc.) I believe that value is primarily established on oneself. Doing things without going against one’s conscience is important. Moreover, the realization of this value must showcase something unique that I have created. In other words, it is best to realize something with a personal touch in my own way, without violating my inner self. If this thing can also help others and gain recognition, that would be a bonus.