“Don’t pay attention to what others say; whatever makes an individual happy is what they should do. This quote comes from my grandmother, who does her best to teach me about an individual's personal identity. An individual's identity represents who they really are; it is something that makes a specific person stand out from the crowd. Over the course of an individual's life, they will encounter many obstacles that will shape their being and further shape them into someone with particular traits, or identity. Over the course of my life, I grew up with six older siblings who each had voices and opinions very different from mine. Even though I felt different from everyone else, there was always one person I had a connection with, my grandmother. Throughout my years of growth and change, I always seemed to be filled with encouraging words of wisdom from my grandmother and, more importantly, she was very accepting of the paths I chose to take. follow despite the fact that they were different from my family's paths. Throughout the book The Norton Mix, which is an anthology of different texts, many aspects of identity are explored. The selection that I think most resonates with me in this book is Virginia Woolf's “Professions for Women,” a 1931 speech about Woolf's work as a writer. Another text that I believe features many characters with different aspects of identity is the novel Hairstyles of the Damned, by Joe Meno; the novel is about a teenager searching for his identity. After analyzing both texts and carefully listening to my grandmother's advice, I concluded that everyone must understand that no two identities are the same and that individuals must pursue their dreams no matter what. happens...... middle of paper..... .I've been through some of the hardest changes and adjustments I thought I would encounter. Even though other challenges await me on my path to graduation, I remain true to my identity and have a positive attitude. I always give everyone a chance and never find myself passing judgment because someone is different from me. These aspects of identity have shaped who I am today and will make me a wonderful nurse. By examining Virginias Woolf's speech, Mrs. Aiken's ways of understanding, and my grandmother's kind words, you can clearly see why my aspects of identity include, but are not limited to, always following my dreams no matter what. he's coming! Works Cited Meno, Joe. Hairstyles of the damned. New York: Punk Planet-Akashic, 2004. Print. Woolf, Virginia. “Professions for women”. The Norton blend. Ed. Beth Johnson. New York: Norton, 2011. 203-210. Print.