MY SINGLE STORY

By Laurel Xu
Table of contents
■ What is my single story
■ How has it affected me
■ Where do these “single stories” come
from
■ How can we find a “balance of stories”
 WHAT IS MY
SINGLE STORY?
Section 1
Being assumed to be
great at everything
■ When people find out that I skipped 2 grades, they
tend to assume that that I am “perfect” at
everything. Like academics, extracurricular
activities and mostly everything else. So when I
make a mistake, they would be surprised that I was
“able to make a mistake”
■ Over high expectations
■ Inaccurate assumptions
■ Criticizing small mistakes (rude)
 HOW HAS IT
AFFECTED ME?
Section 2
A little afraid to make mistakes

■ Every now and then, when I do things, I get a tiny bit scared that I make a mistake. The
single stories made about me made a substantial change in me that I am very cautious of
my actions and how to make everything perfect.
■ Cautious actions
■ Worry about being perfect
WHERE DO THESE SINGLE
STORIES COME FROM?
Section 3
From everyone’s personal
opinions
■ When people tell their thoughts about someone,
sometimes, people listening may think of it as the
most accurate description of the person. That is how
the single stories are created.
 HOW DO WE FIND A
“BALANCE OF STORIES”
Section 4
By really “knowing”
or understanding a
person
■ Talk to that specific person
and really get to know them
■ Don’t make assumptions
about people
■ When you assume something,
find evidence that it is true