Our whole lives we grow up in search of who we are. When we get into high school we're more than likely to go through some sort of mini-crisis in which we have to find out who we are at that very moment, cry for about an hour and then go out with our girlfriends and everything is fine.
That kind of melt down in college involves breaking up with your high school sweetheart or losing or gaining half of your body weight, but clears up when you get involved with something else equally time consuming. It's just how it works. We eventually accept that our lives will take shape as time evolves and can sleep again at night. We just hope we realize that sooner than later.
This past week I have been without an identity. I came to New York to have this independent experience, become cultured, get in fabulous shape and figure out the kinks in life - and what happens? I lose my identity.
This story would have been so much more interesting if I had woken up yesterday morning and had no idea where I was, who I was or what I was doing in a bathtub full of ice. My stolen identity meant that someone stole my credit card information and spent a bunch of money. I claim that this theft was karma to force me to stop spending so much money, but it's amazed me how lost I have been without literally one dollar.
Ladies and gentlemen, do we really want to be defined by a twelve digit number? Can we have something comfortable taken away from us and still evolve the way we are suppose to? The answer is yes, and if it's not it can and should be.
This crazy, materialistic society we live in forces us to be put into groups based on our bank accounts, the kind of cars we drive or where we go to college. No matter how much I preach about this, it'll be this way tomorrow too, no matter how unfortunate that may be.
I hate not being able to spend money in New York City, but I understand within a matter of days I'll be able to find myself back in control of one thing in life.
This awkward hiccup of inconvenience has alarmed me so much that I don't want to be tied up in the matters of materials anymore. Not eating sucks, but just because someone remade my VISA in Canada doesn't mean that I have lost my individuality. Anyone's character is really defined based on how we treat our mothers, our pets, our teachers, our bosses, the barista at Starbucks, the bus driver and, most importantly, ourselves.
To my readers, I challenge you to evaluate the direction you're choosing to go. If you really feel like your identity is the way it is because of your designer sunglasses, I'm sure there is more to you than that and I hope you find that out soon. For the rest of the hopeless romantics out there, I encourage you to continue to grow into the people you've always wanted to be. That's your true identity.
Write to Chelsea at cppicken@bsu.edu
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