Virginia Commonwealth University: About Me Essay and Identity Analysis

This assignment is a self-reflection essay titled "About Me," submitted by a student. The essay explores the student's self-identity through interviews with their mother and a classmate. The interviews provide insights into how the student is perceived by others, highlighting their hard work, dedication, and helpful nature. The essay also references the work of Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey on identity, using their framework to analyze the different levels of self-identification. The student reflects on their personal growth, time management skills, and commitment to both academics and personal pursuits, including their involvement in an acting class. The essay concludes with the idea that our identity is shaped by how others perceive us.

Running head: ABOUT ME
ABOUT ME
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1ABOUT ME
Interview 1
Interviewee 1: Mother.
Question 1: How would you describe me?
Answer: As a mother, I would describe you as a sweet innocent person who has a big heart
always ready to help other people. You are one of the brightest and the hardworking student
of the Virginia Commonwealth University. As a student who is also enrolled in this esteemed
college along with the online course, you have really managed to keep you determination and
focus through always. You are always positive and optimistic in your approach and never
lose your hope in difficult situations.
Question 2: Who do you think I am?
Answer: As I have already told, I feel, you are a pure soul who always tries to do the right
thing. You are a hardworking student. I have seen you working hard especially when you had
fallen sick and you need to complete your assignments. You had shown your extreme
dedication towards your work that day. Moreover, from that time I knew you are always
committed towards your work.
Question 3: How have I changed after I went to the college?
Answer: As a mother I feel, after going to college you have became more responsible and
mature. You have understood the concept of time management and importance of completing
all the assignments at time. Because of the time constrain you were not able to take the
classroom course, but you did not gave up and you got yourself enrolled in the university`s
online course to pursued your dream.

2ABOUT ME
Interview 2
Interviewee 2: Classmate
Question 1: How would you describe me?
Answer: As a classmate, I find you to be a very good and supporting classmate. You are
always dedicated and passionate towards your work and assignments. You are always the
first one to complete any assignments and task that too correctly. Seeing your passion and
devotion, I get motivated to work harder and even better. I still remember the first day I meet
you in the college. We were strangers; you did not know me still you decided to help me out
with the assignment. From that time, I knew you were kind and had a big heart, which is a
rare quality nowadays since everyone is so busy with himself or herself nowadays.
Question 2: Who do you think I am?
Answer: As mentioned before, I find you to be a true gem of a person who is always ready to
help any person in need even a stranger. I am person who face difficulty with the
technological stuff. I was facing many problems in the online course stuff. It was you who
had helped me out with the thing and I shall forever be grateful for that. You are always there
for you near and dear ones and also for your classmates. I have seen how much you care for
your parents and grandparents. When your father was away for work, it was you who took
care of the family. It was you who took care of the mother and the ailing grandfather and
grandmother. I have seen you struggling between the college and home. You are a good child
to your parents and I can vouch for that.
Question 3: How have I changed after I went to the college?
Answer: I may not know you before the college, but over the past few months during the
course I have known you to be the most hard working and dedicated student in the course. I

3ABOUT ME
have seen you always trying to improve and learn new things every day. You were content
and satisfied but always worked for the betterment. In addition, you never shy away from
challenge that comes your way. I remember when you were selected to represent the college
in the cultural festival and your had to take part in the Drama. Initially you were a little
apprehensive but still you tried giving your 100 percent and that shows the true character of a
person.
According to the passage “Who Am I? Who Are My People? By Gwyn Kirk and
Margo Okazawa-Rey” a person can identify themselves at different levels. Those are the
“micro level which is more in individualistic”, the meso level which deals with the facts how
a community effects one`s identity, the last ones are the macro and the global level which
deals with the near and dear ones who holds a special place in our heart. Now talking about
the interviews, my mother can be considered as a part of the macro level and my classmate
can be considered to be the part of the meso level. While analyzing the interviews it can be
said that yes, it is right I am a workaholic. I do not like to keep my work and assignments
pending. I try to do the maximum utilization of my time. Whenever and wherever possible I
love helping people in whatever possible way I can. I have seen my parents doing a lot of
hardship and struggle to give their children a better life. I would always try to give my best in
whatever work I do. According to my classmates point of view it is believed that I work all
day long, which might not be true. I believe in working smart. I try to focus concentrate and
give more than one hundred percent while I am in the college, while I am studying on my
online course. But then while I am offline, outside college I would like to focus on my
family, my friend. I try my best to help them in whatever little possible way I can. In
addition, what many of my close friends or even my family member might not know or even
thought of this in their wildest drama this that my free time offline I have enrolled myself in

4ABOUT ME
acting class. I really enjoyed my shot in acting during our last year annual cultural festival
where I had taken part in the drama. It was the first time I had acted on stage and I through
enjoyed so I thought of giving it a shot. I would like to end my essay by saying “We are only
what other people tends to see”

5ABOUT ME
REFERENCES
Kirk, G., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2010). Who am I? Who are my people. Readings for diversity
and social justice, 8-14.