The New Me

Why do students decide to transform their identity from high school to college? Many students fear their reputation they had received in high school will follow them their whole life. I believe that most students have their reasons why they want to forget the past and start fresh. However, there are ways to accomplish a change in one’s reputation. I will use example of my experience when I was in high school when I looked like a boy and how I transformed myself to becoming a grown woman in college.

When I was in high school, I didn’t like to dress up. I didn’t really care about how I looked or what I wore to school every day. I just wanted to feel comfortable and relaxed. What I used to wear to school every day is a t-shirt and jeans. Sometimes on my lazy days I would just throw on sweat pants with a t-shirt. I also dressed like this to go out. Like to restaurants or to the mall. I liked to wear sweatshirts and tie up my hair so that I could cover it with my hoodie. In this case, it’s because I didn’t know how to style my hair. I didn’t wear makeup to school because I didn’t own any makeup, nor did I know how to apply it to my face. So, when there are events at school or special occasions, my sister-in-law would always do my makeup and hair. For example, I remember there was a special event called Hawaii day, which means students can dress up like Hawaiians. I would wake up my sister- in-law at 6 a.m. in the morning just to have her do my hair and makeup before school.

My personality in high school between my friends and I were totally the opposite. I am very shy and quiet. As for my friends, they are more talkative and outgoing. I remember when my friends and I went out, some girls tried to start a problem with us. I was the first one to chicken out, thinking my friends would handle the situation. Besides, my friends didn’t want me to get involved and always told me to back out. They would handle the whole thing. However, when it came to presentations in class, which is the one thing that I hate because I get so nervous and have butterflies in my stomach I also tended to blackout. For example, in my Spanish class, we had a presentation and we had to speak it in Spanish, which was the hardest part. Once I got up there and started speaking, everyone started to laugh in a funny way and told me to speak up. But I was too nervous to even speak any louder because every time I would talk, I would stutter and mumble.

 In contrast, my attitude toward my parents, I was very calm and always listened to whatever my parents told me. For example, I had always wanted to dyed my hair with blonde high light, but my parents are too strict and very traditional because in my culture, if you were to dye your hair light or any other color beside black, older folks look at you in a different way and thinking you were a bad person. Therefore, I would obey my parent’s rules and not dye it.

As years passed by, I started to learn how to dress up better and put on makeup. The real transformation began during my college years. When I started college, I wore nicer clothes and I bought pretty blouses and more girly t-shirts that were tight to my body instead of loose. Also, I stopped wearing a sweater and I didn’t cover my head anymore. The reason why I decided to change my appearance because my family likes to make fun of me the way I looked. Also, seeing the way my friends and girls at school just motivate me to wanting to look like them. However, the worst part was I became so professional in doing hair and applying makeup, that when there were special occasions, I had to do everyone’s hair and makeup, which meant I was the last person to get ready all the time. Also, I would go crazy and buy so much makeup from the drugstore or even from the mall. My sister-in-law and I became the opposite too because she doesn’t know how to put on makeup like she used to before; instead I’m the one that is applying it on her.

My attitude in college has changed a lot ever since I started working and going to school at the same time. I started getting really tired and lazy. Besides, as an adult I have things, to handle and lots of responsibilities. However, I have become more talkative and more open-minded about things I like and don’t like. For example, when my friends say things or do thing that brother me, I would honestly let them know how I feel instead of leaving it alone and not saying anything at all. Also, I started to have a mean attitude toward my parents because they like to assume or say nonsense things that get me very mad like, you shouldn’t being hanging out with your friends because they has tattoo and piercing. Also, they always compare me to kids that are from their hometown which in Cambodia. I also disobey some of my parents rule. For example; I go out with my friends or family members to a club and bar, knowing that my parents don’t like it. I also dye my hair different colors instead of black.

In conclusion, I transformed my appearance of looking like a tomboy to a woman during time and my attitude that I had towards my families and friends. College helped me mature mentally and physically. It has changed me in many ways from thinking inside the box to growing out of the box. It had made me this person that I never thought I’d be and clearly showed me that there are more things to life. Change is not always a bad thing, especially as people grow as they get older and wiser. Also, it’s not just to change the way they look but the way they feel and grow as a person as years that pass by so quickly.