The document discusses several influences on the author's occupational identity, including family, travel, surf life saving, friends, water polo, tramping, high school, being an occupational therapy student, and their goal of becoming an occupational therapist. Spending time with family through activities like eating out, going on walks and shopping has been a major influence. Travel, including time spent as a waterfront instructor in the US and living out of a suitcase for months, helped shape their identity through independence and appreciation. Surf life saving since age 1 through training and lifeguarding provided a sense of achievement and belonging. Friends are also a significant part of their leisure and productivity time through shared activities. Their high school played a role

1. Family
Spending time with my two brothers, mum and dad is a major influence on my
occupational identity as they have been there for support since birth. I spend a lot of time
with my family by eating out, going on walks and shopping when I return home for the
holidays.

2. Travelling plays a role in my occupational
identity as I spent over half a year travelling
around the United States of America and
Bali. I spent majority of my time at Camp
Pinewood in America as a waterfront
instructor. Through the occupation of travel I
spent a lot of time on the road and in planes
along with living out of a suitcase for months
on end. This helped shape my identity as I
became more independent and valued what I
took for granted back home.
Travel

3. Surf Life Saving has been an leisure activity that I have participated in since I was one year
old. Through the amount of time I spend training with my surf team and lifeguarding it has
given me a sense of achievement and belonging.
Surf Life Saving

4. Friends
I spend most of my leisure
and productivity time with
my friends. I enjoy spending
time together by travelling,
exercising, studying,
working, eating and going
out to town and to the
beach with them.

5. Throughout my three schools I have participated in the occupation of water
polo. I was involved in coaching the junior team at school and lead the
seniors, I also played for Canterbury so it helped me build my identity as a
sportswoman.
Waterpolo

6. Tramping
Through the leisure activity
of tramping I have learnt a lot
about nature and how to
push myself. It is a new
occupation that I am
engaged in which I tend to
participate in over long
weekends and partake in the
activity with my friends.

7. My high school is a place which is a big part of my identity in my home town. I gives me a sense
of belonging as it has provided me with many friendships and opportunities. When living in
Christchurch it is how people perceive you and make links or connections by what school you
went to. Marian College was a small school but played a major role in my identity as it helped
shape who I am today.
Marian College
Picture sourced from: Marian College, 2012

8. Occupational Therapy Student
It is through this occupation of productivity which is a major part of my daily routine as I
attend classes and participate in placements. It is a common question in Dunedin to be
asked. What do you study? And when I reply occupational therapy it instantly gives me an
identity to go by.

9. Dunedin Student/Scarfie
Being a Dunedin student also plays a role in my occupational identity as it is how my
Christchurch university friends classify me. I spend a lot of my time in Dunedin as a
student and participating in events such as University football, Hyde street party,
drinking Speight's, living in a cold flat, eating at the cook and relying on study link to get
me through another week.

10. Occupational therapist
Becoming an occupational therapist is a goal that I am currently working towards through
studying at Otago polytechnic. I spend a majority of my time working towards this goal by
spending time at the library and in lectures or tutorials. The reasons behind engaging in
this occupational goal is due to the amount of fun the job brings and the rewarding feeling
of helping other people return to occupations that are important or meaningful to them.
Picture sourced from: DegreeFinders.com, 2013

11. Degreefinders.com. (2013). How to become an occupational therapist. Retrieved from
http://www.degreefinders.com/education-articles/careers/how-to-become-an
occupational-therapist.html
References