Something I submitted for a class assignment...
An idea that stuck with me from class this week was the fish out of water concept that we revisited from the first day. In particular, I found this impactful: “When you’re in your water you know how to swim really well. But who do you become when you’re not in that environment any more? Your routines and actions are going to change meaning your purpose and, undoubtedly, your identity will too.” This was something I thought a lot about when I first moved to college, but in the opposite way. I was intent on constructing a new identity for myself and knew that I would naturally become associated with the clubs and activities I participated in. By my second year I was a member of the running and rowing club and worked at the climbing wall and as a SOAR leader. Since then these things have become my water- they start and end my response anytime I am asked to describe who I am; they give me a purpose. Moving to Barcelona completely detached me from this purpose. Right now I don’t have any jobs or belong to any clubs. The superficial layers have been stripped away, leaving my purpose bare for everyone to see… It’s just me! This realization is exciting and fun and terrifying at the same time: Without all that extra stuff latched on, what does “Hi, I’m Mazie!” even mean anymore?