“Who am I?” I believe this is one of the most frequently pondered questions in the world and the answer is quite often misunderstood. The awareness of self-identity is so easily misinterpreted because we over-analyze the question. In a simplistic state of mind, ultimately, you are who you choose to be. In my case, I had been living my whole life simply “going with the flow”. I would never really think for myself or formulate my own opinions or decisions on anything. I would merely let others construct my consciousness and live in the shadows of those around me. I was so self-conscious that I would rarely talk and find it hard to engage in conversation out of fear of judgement. The only time I could be myself was with either my family or outside of school with friends I was close to and comfortable with, but still I was not who I truly wanted to be deep down. It was not until my junior year when I moved to Louisiana, that I began to blossom into the person I am proud to call Irvin. I was in Louisiana for the school year living with my aunt, uncle and cousin, Salvador. It was a beautiful experience, not only because of the interesting culture and new environment, but it was truly life-changing. During this time period I learned that being myself is intertwining my flow into the flow generated around me. My move to Louisiana was a fresh and fertile foundation for me to grow into the person I was destined to be. My cousin was quite well-known in the city so it was easy making friends and I felt welcomed. Entering this new habitat forced me to be someone because there were no shadows for me to live behind; I was on my own, everyone else was a stranger. As I began to branch out and build relationships with people and become, what you could call, “popular”, I truly became conscious of who I was. With this new-found popularity came a sense of leadership and I realized that who I am and how I act affects everyone around me. I now seek to leave a positive impact on whomever I encounter in my day to day life. I bring something new to the atmospheric environment through my actions and I strive to emit an energy that will enhance the vibe in a positive progression. Through spreading love, joy and laughter in a natural flow of