There are times when I look in the mirror and I have no idea whose reflection I'm looking at. I often change my personality depending on who I hang out with. I spend a lot of time alone trying to figure out what's going on in my head. Answering the question of who I am is not easy. As I sit here and write, I think about the past. I went through many phases and almost all of them passed with time. To write about who I am as an individual, I have to think about the past and present as well as my future and my goals. There are so many seemingly insignificant things that happen in life that we don't realize have affected us immensely. My past has been one of many struggles. I'm not ashamed to say it. I realize that many people have had worse situations than me, but that doesn't diminish my problems. My past has shaped me, but it does not define me. From a young age, I faced emotional issues. At the time, I didn't understand why I felt this way. I had a good home, loving parents, basically everything a child could need. However, I always felt different from others. I was afraid of things that typical children weren't afraid of. People in my everyday life made fun of me because I was afraid. I would also be so irritated and frustrated in no time. I said and did things I didn't mean and couldn't control. I remember being 7 years old, sitting on my parents' bathroom floor with my knees to my chest, crying, thinking, "Why do I say and do these things?" I didn't understand what was going on in my head. I've always had a good relationship with my parents, which I'm grateful for, but the rest of my family has given me a lot of love. paper......back to Vanden this year. I didn't regret this decision at all. I had the best time of my life. I don't think I've ever been happier. I have some amazing friends who, whether they know it or not, have helped me recover beyond belief. We will be graduating soon and this fact is so unreal to me. If someone had told me three years ago that I would be graduating from Vanden with friends who truly love me for who I am, I would have told them they were crazy. If someone had told me that I would finally be happy and strong, I would have told them they were crazy. So now I'm looking forward to the future, something I never thought I'd say. I'm not the same person I used to be. So who am I? I'm independent, I'm ambitious, I'm caring, I'm loving, I'm funny, I'm confident and most importantly, I'm strong. This is who I am and I'm not ashamed anymore.