Thinking of the groups I identify with, I can think of many. I see myself as one person with various interests, hobbies, and aspects that make who I am today, but the dominating group that comes to my mind is my nationality. As an Asian American today, I mainly identify myself as Chinese and I am extremely grateful to be exposed to such a beautiful culture. Meanwhile, I am also glad I am able to live in the United States, where I have understood the importance of appreciating diversity and taken pride in growing up with both Chinese and American cultures as parts of my life.
In the meantime, I also identify myself as a feminist. Being Chinese and a feminist occasionally has collisions, especially when the Chinese culture today is seen as “sexist” by many people. Having visited China and interacted with the people there, I understand where this sexism comes from. I am personally proud of my gender and I believe women should be treated equally despite the sex we were assigned at birth. In Chinese culture today, females are viewed in a separate light and expectations of our intellect, abilities, and interests are different. However, I am adamant on proving to my relatives and parents’ friends that Chinese women should not be constantly viewed under this stereotype. I want to show them that I should not be doubted because of my gender and I can be just as capable, successful, and intelligent as anyone and everyone else.
Entering college a few months ago has also allowed me to embrace new groups. First, I have a newly found appreciation for music and its ability to calm me during stressful situations. Being a music enthusiast has allowed me to bond with people at this school because we have a common topic to talk about when we share our interests. In addition to music, I identify myself as someone who likes to work out. I see this as a way to calm myself when I reach the peak of my stress, and it also encourages me to live a healthy life and be mindful of my body. Being put in a brand new environment has allowed me to take part in these groups and find brand new hobbies. It is definitely interesting to see how a new atmosphere could entirely change one person’s perspective.
All these groups that I identify with has allowed me to realize that they can be big or small. Whether it is my nationality or a simple hobby, they make up a part of who I am and I am grateful to be able to identify with all of them. While some may collide with others, these groups will change over time and I am interested to see how my interests, hobbies, and overall mindset will be altered throughout the course of my own life.