What Shapes My Personal Identity

Jarod Kintz said “If I told you I’ve worked to get where I’m at. I’d be lying, because I have no idea where I am right now.” Where am I? Who am I? Why do I like the things I choose? Is it where I am from? Is it my culture? Origins? Maybe the language I speak. I suppose the start of identity is just a given something that’s handed down at birth, and thereafter is rarely a second thought on the minds of most.

Identity is a question that develops over time. Whether you notice or not the choices you make every day define who you are. Knowing who you are is only half it though, other things, and even people define you and play a significant role in shaping you. For example, when you’re born into the world, you know nothing at all. You have to spend time learning and being molded by your parents and their beliefs until you’re old enough to decide for yourself.

My family affects my life and identity the most. Not only because I have a big family, but because they influence my day to day life. For example, who I spend my time with, how I take notes, what I eat, how I talk etc. From the day I came to this world I grew up learning and believing every word my parents said. One of the first lessons I learned quickly was that blood is thicker than water, parents and siblings are always supportive and are supposed to always be there for each other. From my family, I develop parts of my identity such as my religion, work ethics, instincts, goals and most of my personality traits Like my religion, Islam, I also believe there are 5 pillars that make up the basic version of Serena Khan: Friends, Family, Clubs, School and Religion. School is where I spend most of my time, and grow the most. School is a huge factor of socialization for me. Not only because it impacts my present and future but also because I make most of my friends in school, and they influence which group I belong to. In school is where I also learn more about myself through corridor, hidden and official curriculum. In school, I develop parts of my identity such as my humor, fashion sense, attitude.

In Clubs there are things that bring me so much joy, meaning and make Serena Khan a completely different person. Clubs are also a very significant part of my identity for me as it is what I reflect as myself to others. In clubs, I develop parts of my identity such as my athleticism, collaboration, cooperation and who I meet, who I interact with and how I act. Your identity is not your identity until you start making choices for yourself.