The Role of Our Experiences in Shaping Our Self and Identity

Throughout our childhood and young adulthood, we are constantly trying to figure out who we are and what purpose we have. If that is trying new things left and right in the hopes of figuring out what you want to be or if that’s throwing ourselves into a different environment in order to discover if that’s who we are. The process of discovering one’s self is not that easy it literally takes your whole life. Everything we do and everything we have gone through has shaped us. In order to have our own identity we must examine our background and experiences.

Class is where you stand, how you do things, and can determine your future. Throughout my life I thought I was in the middle class or at least the lower middle class however, I recently learned that I’m part of the working class. Being part of the working class allowed me to appreciate the things I was given and the opportunity’s that have presented themselves to me. I became aware that I am a hard working individual whose drive is for something better than what I grew up with, to give my future kids a better life. Similarity my race and ethnicity have taught me to not only work hard but to do above what is expected of myself. It has taught me the importance of family and staying united and to always respect elders. Expectations for my race is to stay in the working class and be laborers. I do not want to be the stereotypical Latina who stays at home to watch the kids and cook and clean. I am not going to let men, as it is expected in my ethnicity, rule the household and dictate what should and shouldn’t be done. I am going to fight against out of date thinking and stereotypes. In the same fashion I will do the same when it comes to my genders “norms”. The world is changing at a rapid pace and so should peoples mindsets.

Equally as important is how my family, religion, school, and the government has impacted my personal self and my beliefs. Being raised in a prominently immigrant family I was taught to be cautious and careful of everything I do as if I am being watched. Adding to the Paranoia I was raised in was the government. The treatment of immigrants was everywhere and was used in my household as a way to put fear in our bones when we were being out of line. Everything revolved around avoiding things that would draw attention to oneself. Besides the fear that was placed on me as a child I grew up with a single mother who constantly worked to keep her five children fed and clothed. Whenever she could she would spend all her time with us, emphasizing the importance of family and spending time with said family. In doing so I have a strong view and value on family which equally had a role in me wanting to be a teacher. My grandmother had enforced religion on her family thus she made us go to a Catholic church. Catholicism was my first taste in religion which had peeked my interest and ultimately made me choose to be a religious person however I had chosen a different religion then the rest of my family. I chose to be a Christian. I have a strong belief system and rely on my religion to keep me on the righty path. School was my escape and made me who I am. It was at school where I had discovered my strong passion for reading and where I was able to truly be myself. It was what set my own expectation of going to college and being the first to graduate.

We all have crazy and happy stories of interacting with people. I have learned a great deal from the people I’ve talked to in the short time I’ve been alive. It’s where I discovered my love for people watching. The ability to see how people interacted with one another and the little things that set them apart from everybody else fascinated me. It gave me expectations of how interactions should be but that’s not how it will always be. You could discover many things and learn even more by striking a conversation with random people. With that in mind I was a very talkative child as I had wanted to know everything. In doing so I discovered that I love interacting with people and that I am a very open and welcoming person.

All in all, it is absolutely terrific how once you think about it every little experience you’ve had and every little detail about your upbringing can shape one’s self. It makes you have your own identity. Not everyone is the same for we all grew up in different environments and situations. Although I may have wished for a different childhood I would not replace it I love who I am and would not risk losing that.