Occupational Identity – Ruby Jones

I come from a very large family made up of 14 aunties, 12 uncles and 37 cousins in total. I consider my role as an older cousin very important, and take every opportunity I can to play, learn and teach with my younger cousins.

An occupation I have engaged in daily for as long as I can remember is drawing, and sometimes painting. It is something I always find therapeutic and inspiring.

In 2008 I walked the Routeburn track for my school camp. At the time this was very challenging, but equally rewarding. It was an occupation that made me realise there is no limit to my own potential.

As a child I played the piano for 4-5 years, and then briefly moved onto guitar. Through this I met new friends and discovered an entire world of musicians that influenced me greatly. Although I do not play either anymore, music will always be important to me, and I plan to learn new instruments once I have completed my study.

Retrieved from http://thepianoexpert.com/piano-arpeggios-html/

I am currently a second year Occupational Therapy student, and consider this a very important role in my life as it is heavily shaping my future. This photo is from my first placement at Special Education in Masterton last year.

I discovered feminism in mid 2012, and have since devoted far more time to reading than I ever had before. I like to continue to discover more about feminism through books, journals, online articles, and engaging in discussions with other young feminists on websites such as Rookie.

Retrieved from http://www.rookiemag.com/

I spent last Christmas Eve volunteering at a Salvation Army food bank in the center of Melbourne with my Aunty. I felt it very much reinforced the importance of giving, and reminded me of just how lucky I am. This was something I had always wanted to try, and is an occupation I now plan to engage in annually.

Photography is something I have always enjoyed, primarily as a leisure activity. My biggest passion in life is people, and I love capturing their beauty in unexpected moments. This is a photo from last year’s Anzac dawn service in Dunedin.

When living in Wellington, I decided to start attending a Buddhist center each week over the second semester. This was where I learnt the art of mediation, which I continue to do as often as I can each week.

Retrieved from http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/the-amazing-health-benefits-of-meditation-2/

I consider my role as a sister to be the most important in my life. My brother and I are very close; we are constantly learning from each other and sharing new things together. Naturally he is someone I will always support and protect, and vice versa.