The Role of Student Life in The Identity Formation

People tend to form their identity starting from about an age of six, and they continue doing it in the course of their entire life. This phenomenon is quite complex and can be labelled with diverse names such as self-discovery, for instance. The process of finding out who you are as a person, what are your goals, morals, preferences, background etc. gets a boost from certain big changes and obstacles even that can provide a challenge with an insight into one's own abilities and merits. In this light college is a perfect time for forming student identity and exploration of self. Let’s see how exactly that happens and what factors influence this vital process.

First of all, let's distinguish the main types of identity. There are a social identity and a self-identity. The latter corresponds to the way a person see and understand himself/herself. It is a set of perceptions which includes cultural, national, professional, religious, gender identity and some others which vary from case to case. Social or interpersonal identity can be seen as an interaction between two people or more, during which individual develops a better comprehension of one's position in a social structure or group, as well as explores inner beliefs and other qualities.

So based on these definitions, it is not hard to see why student life plays a huge part in the evolution of the various types of identity among the youth. It is a time of socialization and figuring out who you are. Education set to make students realize such points as:

• some of the future goals in life.
• a wide spectrum of beliefs, that is amplified by the connection with peers as well as acquiring a lot of educational information about world and history.
• professional interest. Studying aimed at helping student finding out the specifics of their future occupation.

However, it will be a mistake thinking that the connection between education and individuation goes at just one way. Student’s identity also affects the education itself and the process of studying. That’s why it is crucial to synchronize cultural identity and teaching in the way beneficial for both parties.

There is a saying “It is only when we compare things, people, situations or our feelings that we can appraise them”, and it could be a better description of what happens to an individual’s core at college. One clash with numerous people, cultures, nationalities, believes, difficult or challenging situations, and many more; so it is almost impossible not to get a better grasp on the nature of one’s own identity, as well as to see your role in the social relations and everything that goes with it.