The person I interact with most when using this identity is my student colleagues when we discuss pertinent political and social issues. The reason is that it is a moment of competitive back and forth juggling arguments and ideas less conventional. Most of these interactions occur face to face when we meet in the evenings during dinner. The subject matter that most features in our conversations include politics, socio-cultural issues and the state of the university regarding the quality of education offered. The way I talk involves the use of a more professional tone, and I say things methodologically and thoughtfully. I usually avoid talking about the rhetoric on the political front and the popular culture of music, and its debased side. The aspect of wanting to cure my ignorance through the exchange of ideas shaped this part of my identity.
Soft-spoken and Carefree
The person I interact with most when it comes to this identity is my romantic partner. Most of this interaction usually occur face to face when we meet but also relatively a large part happens online. The primary subject matter of our conversations involve the personal aspects of our life, our fears, anxieties, and future life together. I talk with a soft tone that does not have inhibitions and concerns about any errors in speech. I say things as they come to my mind without filtering. We usually avoid talking about politics. The aspect of connection and understanding my partner influenced this identity since my partner wants to see the authentic part of me.
Informal and Entertaining
I mostly interact with my close friends when using this identity. Most of these interactions occur online with the subject matter ranging from sports, gender interactions, and summer memories. I usually talk informally and say things that I wouldn’t on other occasions. We usually avoid talking about our personal lives. My long relationship with my friends and familiarity influenced this identity by making me carefree and talkative around them without fear of judgment.
Nonverbal Facework
The values depicted through the action of me wearing these boots include showing class and having a sense of fashion. The components of self-concept expressed here consist of aspects such as depicting the transition to a young adult outside the school, reinventing myself as a fashionista but on a more conservative level showing I know myself. As such, this aspect of nonverbal face work connects to my scholar identity which I feel needs a bit of professional clothing but with a flair of youth and urban savviness.
Conclusion
The most challenging part of this fieldwork survey involved the aspect of attaching descriptors or adjectives to the identity. The reason is that identifying a character is a challenging bit since it needs an incisive and closer look at oneself and how they interact. The less challenging part was the nonverbal part since I have a range of ways I communicate with the world through my clothing and the items I carry. The personal insight I gained from the activity was the fact that I acquired the skill in labeling my component identities and the surprising thing is that I communicated differently with different personalities which made me ponder on my authentic self. I also learned that I spend most of my time as a public person because I need to create and maintain impressions since people would not sit comfortably with an authentic part of me. I now view other people differently after self-investigation since I now know that people fit their identities according to the situation and things are not always what they seem. The burning question is whether my public self is a derivative of my private person or it is an independent conjuring of my imagination.
