Identity

My real name that my parents gave me is Kathleen. I never really liked the name Kathleen because it is exactly the same as my mom's name. It's not because I don't like my mom (I love my mom), it's just because I thought that I didn't have my own identity if we had the same name. That is why I am glad that a nickname for Kathleen is Katie. I feel like over the years as my personality has developed people have gotten to know the Katie that I real am and not just another Katie that you see on the street. I know there are a lot of Katies in the world and even in this school, I guess that is why people started calling be Katie O. I have responded to many different names over the years and from that I have realized that that the name doesn't characterize you, it's the person who owns the name that makes you you.
I have also found my identity through what I love most in life, water. I love swimming in it I love rowing on top, and I guess everyone loves drinking it. Since I was a youngster every summer my cousins and I would go down the sure and spend hours on end swimming in the ocean and doing all kinds of aquatic activities. I have also been on a swim team since I was eight years old. As you may have noticed swimming has been a big part of my life for a long time. Whenever I jump into a pool I feel so free as I move through the flow of the water. Swim practices have always been my time to relax and not worry about all the hubbub that may be happening around me. Although I am done swimming on a competitive level I don't think I will ever stop swimming for fun because that would be like loosing part of who I am. Another part of me that occurs around water is crew. There is nothing better than coming off the water after a good practice or race a feeling like you can do anything because you can move a boat a high speeds through the water while becoming one with eight other girls. Rowing has helped me to discover the important things in life and just let the little stresses float on by.
I think the best part about my identity is that I am always discovering more about me. Next year I will be going to Northeastern University and I am most likely going to start out with an undeclared major. At this time there are many thoughts going through my head.I'm not sure if I want to be a marine biologist, zookeeper, teacher, nutritionist, pilot, or some other interesting occupation that I just have not yet discovered. As I embark on my journey to college I can't wait to discover more about my identity. Of coarse I know who I am but it would be nice to figure out the part of me that will lead me to figure out a future that will make what I do in life fun and therefore make me the best that I can be.