Occupy Yourself

Finding out who you are seems to be the destiny of life. How do you identify yourself? By gender, class, race, culture, hobby, profession? By the time you get to college, the process is not close to over. College presents a plethora of options in how you may identify yourself. Fraternities, clubs, majors, sports, even new friends, also have an impact on how you view yourself.

            In the U.S., gender, race, and class have used in order to define who a person is and what their capable of. Each category has an affect on how someone is viewed. Gender, for instance, confines who can marry whom. Hopefully, the U.S. will realize gender simply gives people a physical home, where their personality, intelligence, and love can grow. A person’s a person no matter the gender.

            Similar to gender, the category of race has been used to define a person’s capacity in several ways. Our peers pass judgment on someone’s capabilities solely on their skin color. It creates tension in all aspects of life for those of any ethnicity other than Caucasian. It also degrades a person to their physical appearance, which is unchangeable and out of a person’s control. Instead, we should let a person’s personality and work ethic define their capabilities.

            Along with gender and race, class can also restrict a person’s future and ability to live an independent life. Schools are organized into districts; therefore, there is a hierarchy of schools where those who live in wealthier communities attend better public schools. Wealthy families also have the option of sending their children to private schools, an option not available to lower class families. Education is key to finding a job and stable, healthy living.

            Instead of focusing on these three aspects when identifying ourselves, we should focus on our personality, work ethic, and treatment of others. These are better ways to define oneself rather than gender and race, which cannot be chosen, or class which doesn’t define a person’s character.

Megan Gallagher