Identity Change Pre-college to Post College, Essay Example

My identity has experienced series of transformations throughout my life in college. Coming to _____ I had programmed my mind into developing and refining ways to achieve my academic goals within the shortest amount of time possible. I endeavored to study and live in the United States without changing my culture, tradition and values. The prospect of gaining further education excited and scared me at the same time. I wanted to complete my ____ degree within three years, allowing me time to undertake further education. However, at the same time I was worried about changing myself as a result of living in a foreign land. At the time, my plans were developed devoid of the experiences and exposure to the ‘real world’. I attempted to register for as many course units as possible, believing that this was the standard for an exceptional student.

My perceptions on academic excellence and developing one’s own life have since changed. In an attempt to cover as much course content as possible, I found myself unable to have a strong and sustainable social life. Communication became difficult, and developing long-lasting relationships became difficult. While this design worked for some students, it failed to work for me. This was the first transition phase of my identity change, understanding my personality.

Culture

One of the most evident changes in my identity is related to aspects of culture. China, is a country that is full of cultural heritage and pride, evident in the manner with which its people uphold these concepts. There is a considerable amount of difference in American and Chinese culture. A conservative and largely socialist culture, the Chinese culture not only defined my appearance and outlook towards life, it influenced the manner in which I socialized with other individuals. However, campus life provided considerable exposure to other cultures. I began to understand how different cultures perceive aspects of life during class lessons, group assignments and co-curricular setups.

Co-curricular activities in college significantly shaped my perceptions towards life, and as such influencing my identity. There exist numerous associations in college, all geared towards achieving specific goals and objectives. The Asian/Pacific Islander association considerably enhanced my outlook towards Chinese culture in relation to other culture represented within campus. I understood that intergroup similarity, i.e. individuals of Asian origin, shaped our thinking and worldviews. Meetings helped me understand the need and importance of a global culture. While specific cultural identity is integral, a global culture would provide me with the ability to interact with individuals from other cultures and potentially gain new insights on certain aspects of life.

Personality

Personality is an important aspect of identity as is plays a huge role in shaping it. It largely influences the nature and kind of decisions we make, the decision making process and reactions to consequences of decisions, essentially influencing character and behavior.

In understanding my personality, I realized the weaknesses and underlying strengths. This was particularly problematic as a result of my course selection. Certain aspects of my personality, (such us impatience) would be a hindrance in achieving my full potential. However, several aspects of concepts learnt in class helped develop my personality. One such concept is “the simultaneous multiplicity of selves”. After having a number of encounters that exposed the weaknesses in my personality, I developed strategies to help me in specific situations and roles. This meant developing characteristics and behavior that would help me fit in specific roles. An individual cannot embrace the situated role that he/she finds is available, while holding all his other selves.

The Transition to Post-College Identity

The transition from pre-college to post college identity depicts numerous elements of a progressive narrative. Numerous elements of my personality and culture have either improved or transformed to accommodate potentially different opinions and views. Improvements in aspects of strategic planning and setting goals and objectives have significantly improved my ability to interact and communicate with others, essentially developing my identity. Numerous aspects of individual culture have also improved. Initially, I was apprehensive about changing my identity, either intentionally or unintentionally through culture. However, this has since changed, developing a willingness and fervor for learning new aspects about different cultures around the world. I have come to accept and adopt a policy that ensures to research, learn, query and analyze all and any aspect of my identity, and improve where it may potentially benefit my goals and objectives in life.

In conclusion, identity change is a critical aspect of student life in college. It influences the path that one adopts in life, post-college, in terms of social and professional life. I believe that my identity has changed from the time I joined college; different aspects such as personality and individual culture have been significantly influenced by the experiences, challenges and interactions I have had during the time. This transformation depicts a progressive narrative, which develops and improves with time and exposure to new opportunities and challenges.