Looking Back, What I See:

Six years of college, a job at the copy center paying $7.50/hr, and a bad hair cut define the oldest child in the Navidi family. Ameer, named after his comical uncle, does represent more than the latter; but there are times when he wonders, is this all there is to Ameer?
In 1979, Ameer Navidi was born into this cold world, on a cold April morning in Rockford, Illinois. Sam and Cheryl Navidi were very proud that day. It was not too long before Ameer was crawling, talking, and causing mischief. Often times his mom would remind him of his aspirations to be a garbage man with a big blue garbage truck. As a youngster, Ameer used to run out early in the morning on trash days and watch the garbage man dump the trash in the big garbage truck.
After growing out of the garbage truck phase, Ameer found himself at Bernardo Heights Middle School in northern San Diego County. All of the events which happened in middle school can be summed up in one single memory. It was right before home room: the bell had rung and there were only a few minutes before class would be in session again. “Janice, would you be my girlfriend?” were the words he felt himself saying while simultaneously noticing her face fall into a slight grimace. Rejection, not fitting in, and pain were discovered in middle school.
These new feelings followed Ameer through out high school, and it was these feelings that Ameer realized he would have to deal with for the rest of his life. Rancho Bernardo High School was a learning experience for Ameer as well, more so than his previous middle school experience. The real world, work experience gave Ameer monetary understanding. Working at a retirement home as a waiter first, then to fast food for Kenny Roger’s Roasters, and finally as a kennel aid for the Poway Veterinary, Ameer found money for movies, food, gas, and girls.
Although these luxuries soon faded away with the admittance to UC Irvine, the beginning of the college lifestyle started. Ameer entered UCI as a mechanical engineer, and intends on leaving that way in a few months. To complicate the matters more, this is the point where Ameer discovered love. Between a girlfriend in USC, living in the dorms, and trying to handle a 17unit course load, something gave, and grades were first. Three years into UCI Ameer experienced a real broken heart, and yet again grades were the first thing to go. Although there were more than a few obstacles through college that Ameer had to attack, the learning was vast and the experience priceless.
The past twenty three years of life have been devoted to learning in an educational institution, which is the main priority of an individual growing up in northern San Diego during the 1990’s. There is more to this story though: Ameer has two siblings, a brother named Adam, and a sister named Amatece. His mother is half Welsh, a quarter German, and a quarter Norwegian while his father is Persian. His interests include music, dancing, fishing, fish tanks, computers, cartoons, cars, skateboarding, movies, food, and mostly spending time with friends and family.
Coming from a loving family and supportive parents in a picture perfect American household, Ameer did not have to endure the painful childhoods that his parents survived. His father, Sam joined the navy after high school and was given a contract to study at Northwestern University in trade for years in the Iranian Navy. His mother Cheryl, born and raised in Wisconsin, was the fourth child of five and the only girl. Cheryl’s mother became a single mom to all five children shortly after her youngest brother was born two years after her. After seeing the outcome of his parents, their hard work, respect from the community, and overall good character, they have earned the role of Ameer’s heroes.

~i wrote this 2 page autobiography for a class~