I’m just a simple guy who loves his hummus (and guacamole too).

As I sit here, eating cucumbers and the delicious dip known as hummus, I think of a lot of things. Thinking about who I am as a person is what I ponder most. For the most part, I’m quiet and soft-spoken with a lot of things to say. However, I do not really have the drive to say them.

Being in the reserve officers’ training corps and the army has helped develop me into a leader and an out-spoken person. It has made me more confident, more physically in shape, and helped me think more critically. I love the army and what I do.

But sometimes, I have the problem where people just see that side of me, which can be incredibly disappointing. I am also a writer who enjoys thinking about creating the next great American novel. Of course, school has made me stop focusing on this for a bit. In my free time, I love playing the trombone and ukulele. At the end of the day, I’m human like everyone else.

What I am getting at here is it is important be yourself and not to care too much about what other people think. Do not judge so much or so quickly. Everyone has something to say. There is more than one side of every person.

So, go take the time out of your busy day to sit on a bench or at the campus pond, hey even workout if you want. Use that time to ponder your goals and aspirations in life. If you did not take time to focus on yourself once in a while, then where would you be? And finally, if you have never tried hummus before- trust me, go try it.

Ben Leman is a junior journalism major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or bhleman@eiu.edu.