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Meredith Legenhausen, 13820049-8210-4B51-ACAB-A0732D902824_1_105_c,…
Meredith Legenhausen
Family
Dad: My dad and I have a good relationship but it has been strained from time to time over a lot of different things. A lot of my core interests have stemmed from my dad and the activities he engaged me in as a child including baking and the outdoors. My dad has struggled to support me sometimes because he has a hard time supporting what he cannot understand or doesn't agree with. However, he is extremely generous, funny, and smart. He is always first to help someone in need and that is a quality I aspire to have.
Mom: My mom and I have a pretty good relationship but just like anybody we have had ups and downs. I know that when people tell me I remind them of my mom it is a compliment. She has supported me throughout my life in whatever I wanted to do. However, my mom is very set in her ways. She believes it's her way or no way which has caused a lot of strain on our relationship over the years as I am a very independent person who has never relied on other people to tell me who I am.
Collin: Collin is the second oldest of the four kids. When he was younger he was very emotional which often clashed with my tendency to be blunt and brutally honest. As we have gotten older we have grown closer because our base interests have aligned more. Our relationship has never been perfect but I know he will be there for me whenever I need it. He is extremely loyal and willing to help anyone in any way he can whenever they may need it.
Adoption
Rebecca: Rebecca is the second youngest of the four kids. My family adopted her from China at two years old. She is a kind person and would rarely go after someone to hurt them and that has caused her to get burned by a lot of people. She and I are complete opposites and share no interests however as she has gotten older it has become easier to hang out with her as sisters. She cares a lot about what other people think which is something I have never understood as has caused us friction even now. However, we are sisters at the end of the day and we have each other's backs.
Andrew: Andrew is the youngest of the four kids. My family adopted him from China when he was four years old. He has had a lot of struggles throughout his life for a number of reasons including related to his autism. However, at heart he is a very sweet kid and is just trying his best. He is extremely smart and artistically talented. I have always felt more protective over Andrew not only because he is the baby f the family but because he struggles and often does not get the grace he deserves from the people around him.
Granna: Granna is my dad's mom. She is an amazing woman who doesn't let anyone stand in the way of getting what she wants. She has traveled all over the world and lived her life to the fullest at every second. She has had an extremely successful career and is overall an amazing person. I hope to be like her one day as she helps me remember to have fun in life and just because you're getting older doesn't mean life has to stop being fun and stop being adventurous.
Activities
Cello: I played the cello for 10 years. It was just a fun thing I enjoyed, I never took it to seriously. I had a lot of ups and downs related to my playing, good teachers and back teachers. There were a lot of times I wanted to quit but didn't because it was so important to me and integral to who I am. Music teaches you to look at the world differently and even though I am not playing this year I still sometimes look at the world through a musical lens. Cello was the constant in my life when everything was changing and it taught me the importance of having those constants in your life to keep you grounded.
Colorguard: I did colorguard all four years of high school. Some of my closest friends in high school were on the team with me. Colorguard is what got me out of the house and it made me happy even when things weren't going well. It taught me resilience and the importance of community something that I still hold near and dear to my heart as someone still trying to find theirs.
Skiing: I have been skiing my whole life. My parents met because they were both on ski patrol. My parents taught me and my siblings how to ski. I raced when I was younger and I continue to race for JMU now that I am in college. It has always been important to who I am and it was integral is how I grew up and who I am today.
Art: I was been surrounded by art and its beauty in every form my whole life. I learned to express myself through it. I constantly doodle in class, bake cakes for my friends' birthdays, make everyones Christmas presents. Seeing myself as an artist and a creator is integral to my identity and I would be a very different person without it.
Scouts: I grew up in a family that was passionate about the outdoors and I was always really jealous that my brother got to do things in Cub Scouts that I wasn't allowed to do because I was a girl. Boy Scouts opening up to women changed the entire direction of my life. I eventually earned my Eagle Scout and I will probably always consider that title a part of who I am no matter how old i get because of the weight I associate with it.
Friendships
Eden: Eden is one of my oldest friends, we have known each other since 4th grade. She is one of those friends that I don't have to talk to constantly but I know she is always there for me. She is sweet and smart, quirky, and a genuine person. It's weird to think that we've been friends for 10 years cause it feels like so much shorter. Her friendship had been very formative for me simply because it has been so long since we grew up together. I truly believe we will be friends for life no matter what life throws at us or where we end up. She has shown me that having a solid foundation is the most important thing in a relationship.
Gaby: I met Gaby in middle school by chance through another friend of mine. We have been extremely close ever since. We did Boy Scouts together, we worked together, and we would FaceTime every day for lunch together during covid. We went through a rough patch this past year and it was truly like I was missing a part of myself. She is an integral part of who I am and how I became who I am. I know that even as she goes off and does great things we will still be together in some way. She has shown me that just because I friendship isn't perfect doesn't mean it isn't worth fighting for.
Maura: Maura was my roommate at Hollins during my freshman year of college. She was truly my ride-or-die the whole year. We went through a lot together and had each other's backs the whole time. I would not have survived freshman year without her and I still talk to her every day even though we don't go to the same school anymore. I think she felt seen in the sense that she never felt judged by me and I felt seen in the sense that someone understood me and was on my side. She is an extremely kind-hearted, generous, and genuine person who has been through a lot more than anyone deserves. She is amazing and I love her. She has shown me that knowing someone for a long time doesn't trump someone knowing your heart,
Mark: I met Mark for the first time in August of 2022 through my job at Camp Marriott, however, we never really spent time together until the next summer. By July of 2023 we were dating. Feeling what I did for him and still do was confusing for me and my identity because I had never felt that way before. I had always been very confident in my identity as someone who is aromantic but he kind of shook me to the core of that identity. Over the last year and a half I have gained back my confidence in my aromantic identity while also loving and dating him. Dating him has put me through a lot of trials and given me life experience that has forced me to adapt and continue to be confident in myself and my identity.
Travel
Mediterranean Cruise: My Cruise in the Mediterranean with my grandmother is what made me realize I want to travel and see the world. Having the chance to travel has become an important part of my vision for the future. I think as Americans because there is so much to see here we forget to point our sights at other parts of the world and learn what they have to offer. My goal is to experience everything and everywhere I can. This cruise is also a big reason I want to study abroad while here at school. Although I am pretty sure I will not get the chance I am glad to still have to goal.
South Africa: I went to South Africa in 8th grade with my school. I think this trip is what made me realize that the world is beautiful but it can also be dangerous since I live somewhere where I am fortunate enough to be safe. We saw a lot of beauty on this trip including swimming with penguins and going on a safari but we also saw a lot of bad in the city and in the Apartheid museum and Robin's Island. South Africa is another huge reason I believe people should see the world. There is so much outside our small bubbles and we need to be given the chance to see it our risk being ignorant of the importance of the world around us.
Disney World: I have gone to Disney World a total of four times in my life with the most recent being in 2018. I have a lot of happy memories there and it holds a very special place in my heart because of my family. We are a Disney family in that we believe in the magic that Disney brings (I know it sounds cheesy). Going to Disney and being a part of the magic is a huge reason I let me creativity fly. Disney showed me that life can continue to be colorful even when you become an adult and that not all jobs are like the insurance scene in the incredibles. I want to create magic for people like Disney has always created magic for me and thats what I am doing what I am doing here at JMU. I want to make people's dreams come true.
Education
JMU: JMU has been interesting to say the least. I have never been in an environment where I had nothing to focus on or do besides my schoolwork. Attending a big coed school is a new experience for me but one I am taking one day at a time. However, I feel validated every day that I made the right choice in someone here as I am passionate about my majors and my classes. It gets me excited for what comes next.
Transfer Student: Being a transfer student has been hard, especially since I transferred from another 4-year institution. I haven't made many friends so my focus has been nearly entirely academic. Its also a whole thing that I inevitably have to explain when I meet someone unless they are also a transfer student. I have come to learn that transfer students are kind of forgotten about and that we have to make our own way here. However, focussing solely on my studies has done me well so far and I plan to continue that trend in the future.
Hollins University: I went to Hollins University for my freshman year and although I transferred I don't regret it at all. It was an amazing experience to be in an environment where everyone could feel safe and be who they wanted to be. Hollins also gave me one of my closest friends and one of my best academic experiences. Hollins showed me the person I want to be and although I was sad to leave it was the right choice.
High School: High school was a decent time for me especially senior year. I was very confident is who I was, I had a lot of amazing friends, I was doing what I love, I had good grades. High school was important to who I am because it was a time when I really came into the person I am today and showed myself I can be whoever I want. I broke away from a lot of expectations of who and what I should be which allowed me to really be myself for the first time.
Aspirational Self
Career: I want to be a successful graphic/web designer working for high-profile clients and making six figures. It is my dream to do something I love and make good money while doing it.
Pets: I have had rescue dogs on and off as I've grown up and I believe in rescuing so in the future I plan to rescue medium to large dogs so that I can do my part and so that they can go with me on all my adventures.
House: I want to live in an old Victorian house with a library with a rolling ladder. While I plan to travel a lot I still want a home base to come back to. I plan to live somewhere similar to where I live now, possibly Alexandria, VA.
Geography
NoVa (Home): NoVa is my home. Unpopular opinion but I don't plan on moving away from it when I leave school. It is like the perfect location to be close to a city, beach, and country but live in a nice neighborhood in a good size house. I love being on the East Coast because everything you could want is never to far away. As someone who is indecisive and wants everything without having to sacrifice anything (in terms of location) Nova is perfect.
Shenandoah Valley: The Shenandoah Valley has been a huge part of my life for my whole life. I have spent so much of my life driving up and down 81. Both colleges I have attended were in Shenandoah, I grew up skiing every weekend in Shenandoah, I work at a summer camp in Shenandoah, and nearly every activity I've ever done outside has been somewhere in Shenandoah. Needless to say, I would be a very different person if I lived somewhere else.
Bryce: I grew up skiing at Bryce every weekend, my family had a house directly on one of the slopes. It has a very special place in my heart and I have a lot of fond memories there. My parents taught me and my siblings how to ski there. My dad was a ski patroller there for like 30 years and I raced there for a very long time. Now that I am in college and getting the opportunity to explore other mountains and ski other places I can confidently say Bryce is the best.
Self-Discovery
Asexuality: I would say I always kind of knew I was asexual. I never understood the jokes other people would make at school and I would nearly vomit in sex ed class or when any kind of steamy scene came on TV and like not in the normal way. I never really imagined something was wrong I always just kind of figured it was the way I was and I was never insecure in that cause I had no reason to be. People get really confused when I tell them I am asexual because they just cannot in a million years fathom what I am telling them its almost like I am speaking a foreign language. Asexuality also comes under fire a lot because its not believed the be a real thing. When I came out to my mom she supported me but also asked if we could get me checked for hormone imbalances which tells you enough. I am very secure in my identity and that has really helped me throughout my life.
Aromanticism: I knew I was asexual before I knew I was aromantic because I kept telling myself I'd get those feelings eventually, spoiler alert it didn't happen or at least not really. In elementary school I never understood why kids "dated" and always thought it was rather gross. I never imagined myself having a partner or being in love or getting married, it was just never a goal of mine and still isn't. I never understood why my friends had crushes and though it was rather weird so I forced myself to act as if I had a crush cause thats what I thought other people were doing. Aromanticism is hard for people to understand cause they can't imagine it being a real thing. I get a lot of comments about having not met the right one or people telling me I am gonna be really lonely when I am older. I am thankful that I am a very secure person because I believe if I weren't I'd still be forcing myself to conform to people's idea of normal.
Religion: I grew up Presbyterian so it was a pretty relaxed form of Christianity. My family went to the same church as my maternal grandparents and as a kid, I lumped the ideas of church and Grandad & Mimi together very closely. I think like all young kids it was not that I believed in God so much as it was my parents telling me it was true and me not being old enough to decide that for myself. Despite being religious everyone in my family is very accepting of everything so I never had any negative views associated with the church when I was young which I believe contributes to my parents confusion about my disbelief in God and religion now that I am grown up. Religion played a pretty big role in my life as a child but it plays little to no role now and has no bearing on the person I am today and how I live my life.
Mimi's Death: My grandmother died of brain cancer when I was 8. It really effected the way I see religion and the world which I think is hard for a lot of people to understand because I was so young. In my brain as an 8-year-old who had just lost her grandmother it made no sense that she had to die. My Mimi loved God with all her heart, she went to church, and prayed, and sang so why did he have to make her sick and then kill her? Simple answer? There is no God and religion was a sham. Thats how 8-year old me processed her death and that is what I still believe to this day. My mom has a particularly hard time processing this as she believes that if her kids do not believe in God then she has failed as a parent. However, I am firm in my belief, if God was real my Mimi would be alive.
Work
Goshen: Goshen Scout Reservation is a Boy Scout summer camp in the mountain about 45 minutes outside of Lexington, VA and it is a truly special place. Its one of those places you have the experience to know what I mean. I went there for two weeks as a camper and then started on staff in summer 2021. This coming summer will be my 5th year working. If someone was trying to find themselves or just get away for a few weeks I would tell them to go work at Camp Marriott on Goshen Scout Reservation. The property is beautiful, the people are amazing, and I truly believe my life would be very different and I would be very different as a person if I had never worked there.
Lifeguard: At Camp Marriott, I work as a lifeguard and I've never wanted to do anything different. Getting to connect with kids over learning how to swim, save lives, kayak, canoe, and so much more is a special experience because every second they are with you they really want to be there. It is also just super fun because we get to hang out on the beach by the lake all day as our job. The lifeguards at Camp Marriott form a special bond that no other staff at another area in camp form simply because of the intense crossover of seriousness and fun that the job entails. The people I've met while being a lifeguard are some of the my most trusted people and some of my closest friends.
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