Our identity represents who we are in this world. It is what keeps us significant to one another, as well as to ourselves. As much as we may share common hobbies or interests, there is a part in all of us that yearns for individuality - something different that sets us apart. The simple fact that we are all unique gives us a purpose in life because in one way or another, we are proud of the fact that we somehow stand out from the person next to us.

The very essence of our being, though is still an ongoing process. As each day passes, we get to know a bit more about ourselves and life, in general. It is, after all, in our human nature to continuously seek answers to the millions of questions surrounding us - the most basic of which are, "Who am I?", and,  "What is my purpose here on Earth?" Every now and then, we take a moment to look back to ask ourselves these very questions. As we wonder how things all came to a certain point, it is then that we realize that what we've become is a product of our actions - a simple matter of cause and effect. We are who we are because of the everyday choices we make in life. We shape ourselves into who we are today.

After all my blabbing about identity, you may be wondering who I am and what makes me unique? Well, first and foremost, my name is Carl Lee. I'm a seventeen-year old from Makati, Philippines who's currently a senior at Xavier School. So, that leaves you with the question on what makes me unique. To be quite honest, I cannot fully answer this question as I have much yet to learn about myself, but I can certainly talk about the things I know so far.

The first impression most people get from me is that I'm a typical shy, quiet and introverted Chinese kid. Well, all of those things are true. I'm Chinese like most other Xaverians, and I'm proud of it. I may not be the most talented Chinese conversationalist, but I take pride with our long history of customs and traditions. I'm also very antisocial, but once someone gets to know me pretty well, he or she finds out that I'm actually very friendly and fun to be with.

Going into more unique characteristics, I'm also known for being a drummer, an insomniac, and a crammer. I've been drumming for two years, in fact I'm in a band called the Sexy Digital Banana Friends. So, there you have it - a silent drummer - something you don't come across with everyday. I also love to sleep late. I love it so much that I even used to compete with friends on who can last being awake longer. I use the time to watch TV shows and movies from torrents I downloaded. Finally, I'm an avid crammer due to procrastination and my love for the early AM life.

Despite these already unique things, I'm still searching for that one thing that will set me apart from the rest. I don't know whether I'll find it or not, but I've got the rest of my life to look for it. Who knows, maybe it's already right in front of me, but I just haven't figured it out yet.

Nonetheless, I have another theory. Being unique doesn't mean having one certain quality or thing that nobody else has. It's the whole package of qualities and hobbies that makes up a person's identity. We may have similarities between one another, but no two people are exactly alike in any way. Whether it's the reasons for why we have certain passions or how we implement them that makes us unique, everything has its own way of working itself out. There are some things that you don't necessarily have to search for in order to know because it's the mystery in these things that keep them alive.

The word identity is in itself still a mystery. We may have some idea of it, but nothing is ever concrete. I believe this is because each one of us has our perception of what identity is, and we apply this meaning into our own respective lives. As we continue to learn more about ourselves, the questions "Who am I?", and, "What is my purpose here on Earth?", still stand. These are things we must continually ponder on.

"Our achievements of today are but the sum total of our thoughts of yesterday. You are today where the thoughts of yesterday have brought you and you will be tomorrow where the thoughts of today take you."

- Blaise Pascal

Times may change, but dreams never fade.

We can be whatever we set our minds to.