The Big Question: Who am I?

Who am I? We’ve all been asked this question numerous times over the years but what would someone else say if they were asked that question about me? My friends would say that I am always there when they need me, can always make them laugh, fun to be around, and easy-going. If my mom was asked this question, she would say I am smart, beautiful, funny, loving and open-hearted. My boyfriend would say that I’m fun to be with, sensitive, there for a shoulder to lean on, and adorable. My professors would say I am respectful, quiet, punctual, and hard working. The big question: what would I say? That’s where it gets tricky. I am a different person depending on the people I’m around. When I’m in a school environment, I tend to be shy, timid, reserved but hard working. In a more social scene with close friends, I’m loud, funny, outgoing, and friendly. Throw me in a group of people I do not know, I close up again. So it truly depends on who I’m around for me to answer the question of “Who am I?”
I am a firm believer that we are meant to cross paths with whoever we meet. These are both good and bad influences in our lives because they both help us grow as a person. There are very few people who go from elementary school to high school with the same exact group of friends and I am one of them. I was lucky enough though to find a couple extraordinary friends early on in life that I still consider some of my closest friends (one from even when we were in diapers!). My group of friends now is more than I could have ever asked for but, of course, I did have to weed out the bad ones to get to where I am today. I was walked all over, taken for granted, and lied to. One of the hardest things in life that I’ve learned is how to let those people in your life go. At the time, it is so hard, but I had to just keep reminding myself that it is for my own good, and these people are only going to bring me down. Life is way too short to waste time on people like that. It feels like that until you’re broken, you don’t know what you’re really made of. I found the song “Stand” by Rascal Flatts very inspirational when I’m going through a really hard time with a friend or some kind of situation.
“’Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you’re made of
You might bend ‘til you break
Cause it’s all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you’ve had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand.”
I have to admit, even though I am a teenage girl and most of the mom-daughter relationships I know are spent yelling at each other, I can truly call my mom my best friend. I can tell her anything without her being judgmental and we can go out for the day like two girlfriends and laugh and talk the day away. I noticed that I have many of the same characteristics as my mom and I’m sure that’s because of how much time we spend together. She taught me so much that helped me get through high school and just life in general. My mom taught me how to treat someone and how I should expect to be treated. She’s the best friend a girl can ask for because I know she’ll always be there no matter what.
Over the years, I have watched some of my friends go from one bad relationship to another. I saw how hurt they got and I promised myself never to let a guy hurt me that way. No man is worth that. The guy that I am with now makes me feel amazing. He loves me for who I am and not who he tries to make me. I would never want to say I am lucky for seeing my friends go through what they did, but in a way I am. I was able to see first hand what my friends were too caught up in their relationships to see.
My goal in life is pretty simple; I want to be successful and happy. Successful doing what you ask? I have no idea. My major is multimedia communications so ideally I would want to end up doing something in that field, but I really don’t have one set specific job that my heart is set on. (I said I was easy going, remember?) Money is not a huge priority in my life. Obviously I want to be comfortable when I’m older but I don’t need to be making loads and loads of money to be happy. I’d much rather have a loving husband and children and be financially comfortable than be making tons of money and have no family.
Even though it is kind of cliché, I really do believe that I would not be the person I am today without all of the people in my life. I’ve learned that this is just part of life and I will continue to grow because I am going to continue to meet people. These people are going to shape me to be a better person whether they hurt me or love me. All I have to do is remember to focus on the people who truly care about me and let go of the people who don’t and I should be in okay shape.