Compare And Contrast Essay My Cousin Vs Me

Personality Traits

My cousin and I were born three years apart; he is older, but we grew together in the same neighborhood. Although we share many similarities since we are in the same age group, there are significant differences between the two of us. One of the essential differences is personality traits. Since childhood, my cousin has always portrayed a sanguine personality trait. He was an outgoing and active child. However, as he grew older, the character showed itself better. He is now a talkative, opinionated, and social individual. On the other hand, though not introverted, I possess the phlegmatic personality trait; I have always been a quiet, relaxed, and peaceful individual. I often envy my cousin's personality because of his unapologetic attitude, contrary to the agreeable character I possess that makes everyone want to take advantage of me. 

Career Choice  

They say that personality traits and temperaments can influence the type of career an individual selects, and I cannot agree more. My cousin has always been attracted to a career where he influences people, interacts with people, and motivates them. As mentioned, he likes sharing ideas and opinions with others rather than keeping them for himself. He is pursuing a bachelor's degree in business and majors in marketing at the state university. He believes that he will gain the skills to boost his personality and serve as a marketing manager at a multinational company. Influenced by my cousins’ career choice since he is older, I wanted to pursue a diploma in marketing at the local college. However, I changed my mind and decided to pursue a diploma in community development and social work. I aspire to serve the community in matters, health, environmental management, and overall well-being.  

Appearance 

Although older than me, my cousin is shorter than me and maintains a chubby posture. He is an ordinary guy with average facial looks. Nonetheless, he is very presentable, always smart and clean, more so given his career choice he is always sharply dressed. He always likes to take care of his appearance; you will tell that he is a very organized individual from a distance. He always likes to dress in classic slim-fit suits and  

a pair of spectacles to complement the look. I copy many things from him; though I have not perfected my dressing, I groom myself the best I can. My advantage over him is that I have a strikingly taller and slender posture which makes any dress code look good on me. However, both of us have youthful looks; they would mistake our actual ages if one were to guess. 

Religious Preference 

We were both born and raised in Christian families; hence technically, we are Christians by virtue of our parents' beliefs. However, after joining junior high school, my cousin changed from catholic to protestant. Initially, his parents were not happy with the decision, but later they were convinced that everyone has his own choice of religion. As for me, nothing much has changed; I am always the conservative person who does not welcome change often. I am still catholic even though I do not attend church services and masses every time. I perceive religion as just an institution; the most important thing I believe is to believe in the Supreme Being or deity. I view religion as a significant reason for dividing people, whereas we believe in the same Supreme Being.  

Hobbies 

Surprisingly, I am a lover and enthusiast of outdoor activities, even though I am not outgoing. Activities such as hiking, road trips, mountain climbing, nature walks, and community work make me feel satisfied and filled with peace of mind. I also like painting a lot, and nature walks make me be more creative and come up with ingenious painting ideas. When I feel stressed, burnt out, or tired, I like unwinding by painting, listening to music, or going for walks. I have recently been interested in visiting the elderly and children in orphanages as the activity also aligns with my career aspiration. On the other hand, my cousin has loved indoor activities since childhood, and he has always been a gaming enthusiast. His latest favorite game is 'Assassin's Creed.' Generally, his hobbies are centered on technology, and he even has a studio room in the house where he plays games and other sorts of activities to do with technology. 

Musical Preference 

I am a huge fan of uplifting, positive music, both gospel and secular. These are music that enhances a cheerful mood, especially when creating painting pieces. On the other hand, I abhor loud and banging party music because it disrupts my mind. We have always quarreled with my cousin because he has the opposite taste in music. He likes hip-hop,  rock, and house genres of music which are loud and disruptive. Although, lately, he is changing the taste of music and says that his choice of music corrupts his mind because of the obscenity the videos and lyrics portray. He is now inclined to positive hip-hop and soul music, though we are still at differing edges of the spectrum regarding music. 

Lifestyle Choices 

One of the lifestyle factors that I have to mention is food and beverages because we read on the same page with my cousin. We are both food enthusiasts; when we are not preparing our favorite meals, we go out to the nearest food stores, and binge eat. Burgers, fries, pizzas, and milkshakes are some of our favorite delicacies. The foods mentioned above also resulted in the adoption of another lifestyle choice that we decided to pursue together, living physically. Twice a week, we visit the gym across the streets where we have subscribed monthly. We decided to take the healthy road even though we are struggling with junk diets. So far, none of us is overweight or underweight; we have managed to maintain healthy weights. We both believe that when one is healthy, he will be able to manage stress hence pursue our future goals.