Tori Bensemann identifies strongly with several social roles. She feels a great sense of belonging within her family as the eldest child and takes on responsibility and leadership. She has also strengthened her connection to her Māori heritage by learning the language and culture. Additionally, she maintains an identity as a dancer due to her involvement in dance since childhood.

1. Tori
Bensemann

2. My family is something I feel
an extreme sense of
belonging within. Being the
eldest I take on a lot of
responsibility and a
leadership role. I am the
one who will organise
celebrations and who knows
Family

3. Maori
Recently, since I have moved down to the South Island, I Have
found it more important to be more involved with my
heritage as I am living closer to my Grandfather who is
Maori. I am enjoying classes at Te Wananga o Aotearoa
learning the language and culture and am involved as a

4. Dance
Dance has been something I have done since I
was 5 years old. The dance community in
Wanganui, my home town, is a place I feel I
have a large amount of belonging within. I
am no longer dancing however I still
identify as a dancer as it has implemented a
history within me.

5. raveller
I consider myself a traveller
because of the places I have been to
all over the world. I also have
future plans to travel more. I have
a sense of belonging within the gap
student community as i took a ‘gap
year’ and travelled. i continue to
travel to the North Island when I am
on holiday and spend a lot of time
travelling to Invercargill to visit
family.

6. Occupational Therapist
I am currently an occupational
therapy student at the Otago
polytechnic. I am aspiring to become a
qualified occupational therapy
practitioner in a year and a half. This

7. Flatmate
This year I
have just
become a
‘flatmate’ for
the first time.
These
experiences
are new and
exciting for me
and I enjoy
doing
activities with

8. Friend
Being a friend is something I hold dearly to myself. I
am a loyal person and continually try to find time
to visit my friends. This year all of my friends are
crossing the milestone of turning twenty-one
,including myself. I will be aiming to go to as many
21st ‘s as possible as this is the responsibility of a
good friend.

9. Organised
I consistently identify as
the ‘organised one’ with my
peers and family. I love
lists, colour coordination,
wall planners and my diary.
It is not something I am
necessarily satisfied with
as I would like to be come
more carefree in some
aspects of my life.

10. Reader
I try to incorporate
reading into my daily
routine. Generally I do
this before I go to bed.
Reading relaxes me. I
would like to become more
of a reader in the future
and one day join a book
club.

11. Music
Music is a big apart of me. I love
listening to new music on the radio
and finding old songs to listen to.
This for me is an individual activity,
but something I will always strive to
enjoy and take the time to listen.