When I was growing up I don't think there were as many influences from the media as there are today, but there still were some. My favorite toys were Barbies and other kinds of dolls. All Barbies were typical tall, blonde, and beautiful which in some ways made me think that that was what beauty was meant to be. Also now that I look back at it, all the clothes that Barbie wears are short short and tiny tops. My parents both worked so I spent every weekday at my grandparents' house with my two cousins. My grandmom limited what we watched when it contained kids who would be considered "bratty" or rude. She turned off Rugrats because of Angelica and Arthur because of DW. She always said the reason was that she didn't want us to watch it is because she didn't want us to be exposed to people who were "talking back." I don't think my self-esteem has been affected too much by images but I do think my perception of the "norm" or average person in the world has been changed. From a young age, I've been shown that tall and airbrushed people are what the standard for beauty is. Now that I have grown up I know that it isn't the the true standard of beauty and I think going to an all-girls school has helped to make that realization. Mount has taught us to be independent women who don't have to let society hold us back. They have showed us that we are strong enough to handle the world and that we have a right to be successful.

Sources For My Identity

The first source that has affected my identity is my job as a waitress at Amedeo's in Norristown. Over the two years that I have worked here, I have changed a lot and also made many close friendships. This job has taught me discipline because there have been times when I have had to miss a concert or a trip to the shore because I could not get out of my shift. Also, it has made me more responsible with money because I now have to save my paychecks and pay for my own gas and clothes, whereas my parents used to pay for me. A third way that working has affected me is that it made me less shy. By talking to my favorite customers and coworkers, I have come out of the shell that I used to be in. It has been so fun working here over the past two years because I have made friendships with people that I probably never would have talked to had i not worked with them. One of my best friends Jess works with me at Amedeo's. We are completely different people, but have become really good friends. Overall, this job has made me more open-minded and outgoing and has definitely been a positive influence on me.

An experience that has affected my identity is the fire that destroyed my house in January. Now that life has settled down a lot and my family and I have finally gotten over it and are looking forward to moving into our new house by the end of the month, I really have had time to look back on how this experience has changed me. People have said to me that they are so sorry for my family that this tragedy happened to us, and while this was life-altering, it could have been much worse. I felt guilty for being upset about losing material things in my house while there are people in the country that are starving. In a way, i felt lucky that I even had a nice house and nice things to loose, rather than never having them at all. This experience has made me more courageous when facing problems because I know now that it really can be much worse. Additionally, my family and I received an overwhelming amount of support and help from friends, family, coworkers, the Mount, and even strangers. This has made me realize that people truly do care and want to help others in need. It was crazy for my family to think that so many people wanted to help us out and we really are so much better off because of the generosity we received. This experience really did make me appreciate the small things in life, be thankful for the gifts God has given me, and has taught me not to take advantage of anything that is given to me.


Deciding to go to Florida State University has also affected my identity. This decision was hard to make but now that I have decided I could not be happier. I was at first concerned about the distance and the fact that I do not know anyone else going to the school but now I realize that making this decision is an example of how my identity has changed. I am excited to go away, experience a different part of the country, and meet tons of new people I never would have met if I went elsewhere. Because I got into the Honors Program, I have the opportunity to participate in special events which will make my college experience that much more full. Although this decision is very different for me because I'm not usually the person who throws myself into something that I'm unfamiliar with and do not know anyone, I think this will end up being one of the best decisions I will make in my life. I believe that this will shape my identity in ways that I may not have experienced if I went somewhere local.