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Life Map: Adolescence
According to Erikson, select events from all of the life stages you have gone through or are currently in. For life stages you’ve already experienced, like infancy, toddlerhood, early school age, etc., feel free to use family photos and anecdotes about special events or achievements they remember. Did anything major happen in your family life, like a move to a new country? Also include major historical events during your life stages, like 9/11 or COVID-19.
Sample Ideas for Events:
· The day you were born, stories you’ve heard about your birth
· Your earliest childhood memory (describe in detail)
· Your most vivid childhood experiences
· Your school years
· A special trip you’ve taken
· A favorite meaningful thing/object you received from someone special
· The first time you gave a speech
· The first time you wrote an essay
· A time you hurt yourself
· A very funny event
· A time when you cried
· Your first bike ride
· A memorable/favorite book
· An important cultural event
· A hospital stay
· Your first plane flight
· A day you met someone famous
· A death in the family
· Your first love
· The day you realize the purpose for life or your life
Instructions:
Create a life map or timeline (
see example of a life map
) of the meaningful events of your adolescence (ages 13-17). A life map tracks your life journey and marks important events along the way. This particular life map will cover similar details, but only for your adolescent life. Remember, an important event doesn’t have to be exciting or memorable for others, as the map shows what is important to you.
What makes an important event?
· Events that teach you something about life (e.g., being selected for a team might have taught you the value of hard work and perseverance).
· Events that made you feel suddenly more mature/older/grown-up (e.g., looking after your little brother or sister for the first time).
· Events that gave you inspiration for your future (e.g., the first time you were given Legos and built a 1000-piece skyscraper hinted at your future love of architecture).
· Events that highlight how important it is to appreciate life (e.g., the loss of a family member or pet). Good and bad events can make you appreciate, adapt, or change your life.
· Events of significant transition or change, such as moving schools, houses, divorce, living arrangements, etc.
Requirements:
· Create an uploadable visual representation (a “map” or “snapshot” of sorts). You can find your template or draw/illustrate one digitally or on paper. If you create a paper copy, each section/page must be submitted so events are seen. There may be multiple pages – and that’s okay. In that representation, you must include the following:
· A minimum of 15 events that represent your past.
· A minimum of 5 events that you imagine or would like to be part of your future.
· A clear description of the reasons why you have selected each of these events. This does not have to be lengthy. 1 to 2 sentences should be fine (though you can write more if you want). Each description can be included with each of your events in the Life Map (though you may have to adjust the text size to fit) or as a separate list/key on a separate page(s). If you cannot come up with a reason for including an event, delete it and pick another one.
· Complete Reflection of My Life questions:
· Imagine your life map belongs to someone else. How do you feel about that person when you look at the life map?
· What values do you notice reflected in the important events?
· What would you change about your life map if you could? Why?
· Where are you going in the future?
· List and describe three things you can do in your life stage now to make future life stages happen the way you’d like them to.
Include this write-up at the end of your Life Map or on a separate page(s). The reflection section must be no more than two pages, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins.
