Benny

Background

Benny is a 21-year-old student who lives in Santa Monica, CA. He comes from a happy home. His parents are happily married after 34 years, and he has two older sisters whose ages are 26 and 32. He went to Santa Monica High School, then to Santa Monica College, and has been attending Cal State Northridge for the past two years.  When he graduates college this June, he will have completed college in a little less than five years. He still lives under his parents’ roof, and is financially supported by them. His parents have agreed to support him as long as he stays enrolled in school full-time. He has been completely content with this agreement, mostly because it has allowed him to have a pretty carefree and relaxed lifestyle in which he has accomplished the bare minimum to get by in school. Lately, his attitudes have somewhat shifted and he is finding himself more motivated and eager to graduate on time and to get his life in order.

Think & Feel

At the moment Benny is really focused on three major goals: finishing up his last year of college on time, finding a job, and convincing his dream girl to fall for him. He has always been a hopeless romantic but has had very little luck in this department. He hopes that one day soon his crush will share the same feelings in return. He finds it hard to stay motivated but is majorly concerned with living a comfortable life style. On a day-to-day basis he worries about making sure that his homework is completed on time, that his room is clean, and that his laundry is done exactly the way he likes it. He is very particular about things, in other words, he has OCD. He makes sure to wash only his white clothing with other whites, and his black clothing on a delicate setting so the items do not fade in color. If something goes wrong, he is NOT a happy camper. Benny also worries about happiness, and what other people think of him. He wants people to like him, and he wants to please those around him. He is also concerned with his health, although, he doesn’t eat particularly healthy or exercise.

See

Benny spends most of his time at home, school, or out with friends. He is currently studying Business, and finds himself surrounded by businesss-oriented students. His classmates encompass a variety of cultures, tastes, and personalities. It appears that they are carefree yet motivated individuals just trying to do their best. Despite his numerous years at Cal State Northridge he primarily hangs out with three of his high school friends. He also spends a significant amount of time with his crush, whom he met in college.  At school he tends to keep to himself, unless he is working on his group projects. After school, he usually treats himself to a meal out, usually alone. He has no problem with eating alone, and often frequents his favorite Shabu-Shabu restaurant where the owners know him on a first name basis. Benny also spends a significant amount of time at home with his parents and older sister. His relationship with his oldest sister has surely evolved over time, and at this age he is able to actually be friends with her, rather than fighting over petty things. In terms of his shopping habits, he likes to get the most bang for his buck. He loves to shop but when he buys something he wants to be sure that he is absolutely in love with it. If he finds something that meets that criterion he will spend any amount of money to make sure he gets it. He feels that the amount of money spent is a good investment because he will cherish that item, and it will last him a really long time. He likes quality, and he would rather choose a classic item that will not go out of style, rather than the latest trendy piece. Benny isn’t overly concerned with designer names; rather, clothing that is simple and chic. He would not be caught dead in a piece of clothing that had the designer label blatantly exposed; it’s just not his style. He tends to do more online shopping, because he usually has an idea of exactly what he wants. If he notices someone wearing a pair of shoes he likes, he simply asks them where they are from, goes online and hunts the item down. He chooses to shop on websites that make it convenient for him to return the item if it doesn’t fit right, such as Zappos.com (which includes free shipping both ways). He usually buys his really expensive items in store, because he wants to make sure the fit is just right. Benny is currently in the market for a watch but he hasn’t found something that he is in love with yet. Clothing items he sees on other people, and in movies, heavily influence his taste. For instance, he recently watched the movie “Excess Baggage,” and grew obsessed with a leather jacket worn by Benicio Del Toro. He wondered if he could pull off a similar leather jacket, and recently purchased one at the Seven for all Mankind store in the Santa Monica Mall. He also shops at other stores such as American Apparel, Calvin Klein, and Levi’s.

Say & Do

Benny is very fresh and clean cut. He finds it very important to be well groomed and taken care of when he goes out in public. He is fashionable, yet simple, and makes his style appear effortless. He has been trying to get haircuts every two weeks, and consistently trims his facial hair. Benny isn’t particularly shy in public, but he doesn’t choose to speak up unless he knows exactly what he wants to say. In the classroom he doesn’t go out of his way to make friends, and usually talks to people if they approach him. He tends to keep to himself and really only targets people that have very similar interests as he does. Since he feels content with his social life, he doesn’t make too much of an effort to make new friends, and really just doesn’t care all that much. He believes that since he isn’t personally interested in too many things, that it makes it difficult for him to have many things in common with other people. For instance, he doesn’t really enjoy watching sports, therefore, he can’t relate to a lot of students that are the die hard Laker fans. He enjoys hanging out with friends and having a good time, but he isn’t preoccupied with “partying.” If he doesn’t get a good vibe from someone he tends to be standoffish.

Hear

Over the past few years, Benny has found it very difficult to be motivated about many things. Most recently he hears that he is doing better, especially from his parents who are happy to see him putting effort towards his schooling and graduation goals. People tell him that he is OCD about his belongings, cleanliness habits, and appearance, but it doesn’t phase him. Many people compliment his good sense of style, and that pushes him to keep it up and makes him feel better. He is constantly feeling the pressure of doing well in school and finding a job from his parents. He also feels nagged by his mother to be more active in school, exercise more, and eat a healthier diet. Everyone around him finds him interesting and funny, he certainly has the people skills to keep people engaged. His friends always tell him that they respect him and that he is a trust worthy friend. He finds this sense of approval very important. The people that influence him the most in his life are his family members, and more so his father. He finds that he follows suit with everything his father does. His father plays poker, so he plays poker. His father is very into construction and real estate, and now he thinks he might pursue a career in a similar field. His father is constantly pushing him to do better for himself, and to teach him that it’s really time to grow up and not depend on others to bail him out in times of need. He respects his father a great deal, and wants to follow in his footsteps in terms of the successful life he is created for himself, which includes a very happy and close-knit family.

Pain

Benny’s major fear is not finding love, and being alone. He is frustrated that the girl he really likes doesn’t share his feelings and feels helpless in what actions to take moving forward. He has never had a girlfriend, but so desperately wants a girl by his side to spend time with and spoil. He is also concerned not being successful and making enough money to provide for his future family. He fears losing motivation, since it took him a long time to get to a place where he started to care about doing well in school. A relevant obstacle he is currently facing is the budget cuts in California, which result in him not being able to take all the classes necessary to graduate on time. He is frustrated with the school system and finds it difficult to work around.

Gain

Benny hopes to move out of his parents’ house very soon. He measures success by how comfortable he is. In some ways he is high maintenance because he feels that he will only be happy if his lifestyle remains close to what it currently is or if it is upgraded to an even better situation. The main things he wants right now are a good job, and one that will allow him to be financially independent. He uses his ability to be independent as a crucial measure of success.