RCLP 3002

Jane Blanchard
September 23rd 2014
Circles of My Multicultural Self

student
student
planner
planner

musician
musician

marketing
marketing

daughter
daughter

british
british

Renaissanc
Renaissanc
e
e College
College

Jan
e

traveler
traveler

friend
friend

food
and
food and
wine
wine lover
lover

canadian
canadian

female
female

organic
organic
living
living

Throughout the past three or four years I have been very proud
to identify myself as a musician. Although I am currently not actively
playing music, I have a busy past filled with shows and performances
that I am to this day extremely proud of. In July of this year my band
released a full-length album. Although we no longer play together due
to different life situations and geographical locations, we managed to
complete our goal of writing, creating and recording a full album for
public distribution. I write and play music on my own as well. This is
something that has shaped a large part of my life. Because of my
identity as a musician I have become a part of the music scene in
Fredericton that has allowed me to make many friends and have many
unforgettable experiences.
It is sometimes painful or uncomfortable to be a friend. For the
majority of the time I am proud to be a friend to many people, however
there are times that having that description is difficult. We do not
always have as much time for other people as we wish we did. Or,
sometimes we do not have the ability to stand up for someone when
that is the right thing to do. I love my friends, but sometimes it is
difficult taking their side on certain maters. Sometimes it even comes
down to personal integrity versus being a good friend. This can be
uncomfortable at times but the great thing about friendship is that
many issues are easily resolved.
Often students are stereotyped as lazy, uninvolved in political
and social issues, unhealthy and uncultured. Not only are these
stereotypes not consistent with which I am, but also I do not believe
they are consistent with many students either. I love great food and
take care of my body. I am involved in politics, current events and
social issues. I believe being a student at Renaissance College aids in
this knowledge as we are more exposed to many different issues and
ideas than the regular student. It is not fair to group people by
stereotypes as everyone is an individual.
Daughter, friend, musician, British, Canadian, student, organic
living, food and wine lover, traveler, marketer, planner. My list is in this
order because I view personal relationships as very important
identifiers. My relationships help to shape who I am as a person. Many
of the lesser important identifiers on my list are things that interest me
or that I identify with through schooling and culture. Being firstly a
daughter and a friend is innate to me. It is natural and those two things
will never change. Being British is also a huge part of my identity
because it shapes many of my cultural beliefs, customs and
upbringings. This list has changed over time and I believe it will change
over time. Maybe in ten years I will no longer view myself as a
musician, but rather an artist. When I graduate will I still consider
myself a student? Perhaps I will but it will boast a different meaning
than it does currently. The list will alter throughout time as I move
around the world and encounter different people and experience

different things. Being a daughter and friend will always remain the
same despite geographical locations or personal interests.
Cultural Identity Canadian, musician, British
Social Identity female, organic living, Renaissance College student,
traveler
Personal Identity musician, daughter, friend, food and wine lover,
marketer, planner
In many ways I have learnt these identities by differentiating
myself from others. By comparing and contrasting those around me I
come to realize many things about myself that I may have been over
wise oblivious to. For example, I did not realize how much I appreciated
good food and wine until I understood how little some people around
me cared about those things. There are also social situations that make
people realize their stance in society. I am an active part of the music
scene in Fredericton and regularly attend concerts and musical and
arts events. This makes me in turn a part of this social group as I
define myself through it. Institutions such as school play a large factor
in identity. I define myself as a Renaissance College student as
opposed to a student because I feel that this institution has qualities
that I like to be attributed to as well. I believe that everyone and
everything around a person helps to shape their cultural identity. I am
the way that I am and identify with the things that I do because of my
upbringing and my place in society and culture. All of these factors
reflect on the culture in which I am acculturated.