Identity

Identity - the state of having unique identifying characteristics held by no other person or thing. Identity – the individual characteristics by which a person or thing is recognized. (dictionary.com definitions)

Identity is such an overlooked word. Yet it is everywhere, there are our photo ids (real or fake), there are components that add to our I.D., our birth certificates, our social security numbers, yes, to our system of living this is how we are recognized. It’s tragic that we’re all numbers taking a place in a mathematical equation.

To a certain extent everyone wants to fit in but stand out at the same time. You want to be unique yet accepted by our current society. But what is identity on a more personal level? Sometimes what others see is very different from what we see. If you look up to the sky and watch the clouds, you may see a car, your friend may see a hippo, and a stranger may pass by and see the two of you questioning your sanity. There are so many different views on so many different things.

I feel there is no solid source of where a personal identity can be traced. Everything factors into the final product, both nature and nurture. I am an Asian American female. I am 20 and I am a Theater Arts major. I can say that I have a pretty good picture of who I am and where I come from but there are always times of uncertainty. Who am I really? Is this what I want to do for the rest of my life? Am I going the right direction? Is this the right path? What is fate? Where is the reason? What is the point?

After many nights and thoughts pertaining to questions like these I’ve learned, after much frustration and many tablets of Advil that it is best to just live. Dwelling on time consuming, nagging thoughts and unraveling a never-ending possibility of answers, is just a wasteful action of what you could be doing otherwise with your precious time. I believe that everything does happen for a reason, as cliché as it may sound, but I think if we just follow our passions and our dreams with a logical point of view and a persistent and positive attitude, we could be successful and on the way to finding out who we really are.

Monica Feng