Now, This is a Story all About How…
A Biography of…Me!
Hello!
My name is Alaina Michael Giangiobbe. I am 18 years old and I am a freshman at the University of Georgia. Go dawgs am I right?! I was named after my grandfather Alan and my dad Michael. Family names are very important to us so there are more than a few ‘Michaels’ in my family.
I have had a strong relationship with all of my family — immediate and extended — and have heard many stories about our past. However, I have never gotten the chance to ask the deep questions. This is mostly due to the fact that I am the youngest of 4 children; two half-sisters and a half-brother. Honestly typing out “half- brother/sister” feels so foreign to me because I have never known anything other than them in my life. However, this detail is very important in understanding my family dynamic. Ever since I was a little girl, everyone has called me the “glue that keeps us all together” since I am the only child from my mother and father. In addition, I also have 18 cousins that are as close as my siblings. I was always seen as the little sister or cousin who they needed to be careful what they said around. I was never allowed to know about my dad’s past relationship or his mistakes as a young adult and my mother did a very good job at only telling me the minor incidents of her life. If there was any family drama, I was typically the last to know and never given all of the details. Because of this, I stayed focused on being the most well-rounded student I could and tried my best to dismiss any drama around me — it was a much easier use of energy.
My family is comprised of the stereotypical “loud Italians,” and you can count on there never being a dull (or quiet) moment in any household we cram in to. As each holiday, or frankly any long weekend that we were together, approached, I prepared for all of the chaos: 20+ people in my house at once, 12 different conversations taking place at the same time and eventually intertwining into each other, and the inevitable “How is school going? Do you have a boyfriend?” conversation that occurs at least 4 times.
Contrary to what the rest of my family may remember, I would rarely participate in family conversations, rather I would sit at the dinner table or in the family room and simply observe the chaos around me, throwing my two cents in when given the chance. Through this process, I would piece together the tiny bits of information that I heard from every conversation, but I was never able to paint a full picture of my family or their past. Even in smaller, quieter settings, I was still grasping on to every word spoken or story shared, hoping that I could find some connections, but still, I confusingly chuckled at all of the inside jokes that everyone else in my family seemed to know. This project is the best way I could have started my freshman year of college. By learning about my family’s past, I have been able to find my identity in our roots.
I am talking about my family a great deal in this biography which is supposed to be about me. That is because my family is who I am. Not only would I not be who I am today, but I would not be sitting here, at the University of Georgia, writing this biography without my parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and all my other relatives. Being the youngest in my immediate family and having a decent amount of preceding cousins, I have been given models of what and what not to do. They have taught me self-love, self-discipline, and self-respect. Every single person in my family has instilled values in me that I will take with me and allow to mold me for the rest of my life. They have taught me how to be a better daughter, sister, and friend. They have taught me how to live a fulfilling life and have a good time. Most importantly, they have taught me to never lose sight of my priorities and work hard to achieve my goals.
They are the reason I have been so excited while working on this project.
Because of this project, I have been able to explore what being Italian really means and realized that I knew all along. The most valued thing for Italians is their families. This project helped me to see that I am not one and of myself, but rather part of a collective unit of people who love and protect each other at all costs and whose main goal is to lead a happy life with a full stomach ;).
The Proust Questionnaire
Some fun facts about me!
What is your idea of perfect happiness? My entire family together playing games and enjoying each others company with no worries about school or work.
What is your greatest fear? Being lonely/ not having my family.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I tend to overthink things
What is the trait you most deplore in others? I cannot stand someone whose mind is not open to a fair debate. I understand that everyone has their own opinions, but I do not believe that people should be discredited or made fun of for their views on a subject. In the right environment, everyone should be able to speak their peace without being dismissed.
Which living person do you most admire? My brother. He can set his mind to anything and conquer it.
What is your current state of mind? Joyful and hoping.
On what occasion do you lie? When there is no possible way that anyone can get hurt in the situation. Or if it is to protect someone.
What do you most dislike about your appearance? My arms.
Which living person do you most despise? That’s a strong word. I don’t despise anyone.
What is the quality you most like in a man? Someone who isn’t full of himself and is willing to show an understanding side.
What is the quality you most like in a woman? A girl that sticks up and looks out for other women.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “Are you kidding me?” “Lol.”
What or who is the greatest love of your life? My nephew Luke Michael.
When and where were you happiest? Senior year of high school. I was playing my last year of soccer and we were doing amazing. I loved my job at an elementary school. I really enjoyed going to school and actually loved learning again.
Which talent would you most like to have? To not judge others at first glance.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? That I could stop degrading myself and love myself more.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Accepting that school and work is not the most important thing in life, but being surrounded by those that you love and doing the things that make you happiest is the key to a good life.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? A dog! I don’t think I need to explain this one.
Where would you most like to live? Anyway on the water.
What is your most treasured possession? My knowledge. Mom always told me, “They can take everything from you, but they can’t take what’s in your head.”
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Being lonely, having no one to vent to or laugh with.
What is your favorite occupation? Working with children.
What is your most marked characteristic? I think my most marked characteristic is being able to tell someone the truth even when it might hurt their feelings, but in the end is the best thing for them.
What do you most value in your friends? I value a friend that I can constantly laugh with, but who will tell it to me straight when I need to get my act together.
What is it that you most dislike? Standardized education.
What is your greatest regret? My greatest regret is being too insecure to believe that people actually liked me and not going out and spending time with friends/ making new friends.
How would you like to die? That’s not up to me. It’s up to God.
What is your motto? “Life is better when you’re laughing.” or “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
