I love doing random things. Like this first sentence, many of the things I do and say are spontaneous, produced on the spot without much planning ahead. Over the course of my high school years, I discovered that these random acts are not performed for the people around me, but for myself; in a sense, everything we do—no matter if it’s something apparently selfish or selfless—is to eventually build up a part of ourselves, like building characters in novels.

So since when did I discover the need—and the passion—for “character development” in my life? The common belief is that you can just “be you”: that just by living a regular life, you are having character development. But life isn’t a show, it’s not written; there is no thesis nor theme, unless you actively seek one. Works of literature, like plays and novels, often strive to send a message—and their characters will contribute to the building of it. It could be a positive character, like Jane Eyre, who embodies the author’s ideology. Sometimes, characters are less than perfect and their stance can shift throughout the story, like Winston in “1984”. However, despite being a character that’s been greatly deformed and twisted, Winston still served the purpose of revealing the dehumanizing effects an authoritarian government could have on its citizens. In that sense, he is consistent.

And that is why I love acting randomly at times—I want to be consistent in my message, that I’m someone who strives to be different. Of course, I have my standards—I refrain from dangerous or trouble-causing behaviour. What I love are the silly little things that has seemingly no effect on our lives. Gradually, yet consistently, I want to build and reinforce my character. I guess this is my own kind of minute effort towards serving some purpose in life. (312)