Who Am I? My Identity

As I wrote the dreaded college essays this year ,themes reoccurred in the prompts and in my responses. Most of the prompts I responded to asked about my life and who I am. Even though some of the prompts asked about my favorite things, the answer always ended up the same as the prompt about my identity. I realized that many of the activities or things I choose to participate in and like have really shaped and affected my identity. The top three reoccurring topics that I think best shaped me are my involvement in sewing, my love of the Amazing Race, and my involvement in service.

I began sewing in second grade. My brother had to take a sewing class at his high school and I would always offer to sew his projects for him. I think the idea of creating something from scratch and unique to the creator is amazing. I begged my parents for lessons so I could learn how to sew on a machine, and they let me. Every Saturday I would attend lessons and soon got my sister involved. I enjoyed the peace I got from sewing and the feeling of accomplishment at the end of every class.

As I got older and more advanced my family decided to put my skills to use and create a quilt for my Nana and Pop-pop. My Mom and Aunt Sue decided to join in. We sent out pieces of fabric to my many cousins, aunts, and uncles to trace their hands on and send back with a signed fabric heart. It was my job to sew all the thirty some hands and their signed hearts onto blocks of fabric, and with the help of my mom and aunt create a quilt.This is now one of my fondest memories of sewing.

I say sewing is a factor that has affected my identity because it shows that I am creative, and is something I do to relax. It consumed so much of my time when I was younger that I honestly could not image my life without it. It has allowed me to give back by creating curtains for my elementary school, and costumes for the church play. It is something that is apart of me and I am grateful that my brother had to take that class in school.

THE AMAZING RACE
Those words have appeared on my television screen almost every Sunday since 2001. On the show contestants race around the world completing challenges and trying to make it to the finish line first each league of the race.If you asked anyone in my family what is one of my biggest goals in life they would say to be on The Amazing Race. Anytime I am in a situation that calls for a map or requires any activity like they do on The Amazing Race, I just say it's training. Going through a corn maze with me in October is something my family does not always look forward to. I am usually trying to get us out in less time than it takes the average person to complete. Needless to say I am a little intense and a huge fan. This show though has shown me the world. Without it I probably would not have the same love of travel.It allows me to see different cultures and understand the world we live in better. If not for the Amazing Race I probably would not have the collection of travel books I do or huge dreams of traveling.

Finally my involvement in service has affected my identity. Every summer since I was in third grade I was involved in my parish's play. I decided that freshmen year I would return in the summer and volunteer my time. I work as the costume director and make and coordinate what the cast wears. I love spending my afternoons working on the play in the summer. I enjoy the feeling of giving back, and the excitement the kids have when the show is finished.