It’s a series of questions that every college student asks themselves at some point. Who am I? What do I want to do with my life? Who do I want to be?
Recently I’ve been faced with some deeply personal questions and life choices that have challenged my identity and made me ask myself those questions.

I’ve realized that it can be effortless to portray yourself a certain way. As a journalism student at SMU, I learned quickly that you only tell people what you want them to know about you. Add that to the cultural obsession and reliance on social media for information and there you have it – the ability to create the perfect false identity or disguise.

Our paths in life carry us through different circumstances and different relationships. As individuals we are constantly changing and evolving. However, life can become precarious when we live with differing identities and fabricated truths of who we are.

There is no magical solution to who you are. There isn’t a specific formula that will automatically generate your unwavering identity. All you have is your heart. All you have is yourself. Only you can determine who you are and who you will be.

You aren’t governed by someone else’s interpretation of morality – you are simply you.

For some people it may seem unnecessary and complicated to live a life that requires this type of contemplation. Your identity is a key ingredient in who you are and it will determine how you treat others.

Ever wonder what someone’s identity is?

Watch their eye’s when someone does something rude. Track their body language when someone is kind to them or when they are ignored. When it comes to identity, non-verbal communication conveys a person’s identity more accurately than any mixture of words.

Do you know what your identity is? Or do you just walk around behind this disguise that tries to conform to cultural norms and the expectations of others?

Don’t be afraid to be YOU. Embrace your bad side, laugh with your silly side and be serious with the parent inside of you. But above all, be true and genuine to your heart and your identity. Those are the things that will carry you farther than any disguise or collaboration lies ever could.