Journal+4-+Reflection

//How do you act, speak, or dress differently according to which group you are with or whom you are around? Why do you make these adjustments? Do you think it is hypocritical or false to make such changes? Why or why not? Which is the real you?
 * Period 1**: Please respond to the following prompt for Journal 4-Reflection. Please check your response, utilizing STAR, prior to publishing.

I looked at this post from a perspective of high school, and changing. However, I think changing can be for the better, or just for a change. Anything can change you, I have been. A big move, a new grade, anything. I just focused on the changes of your beliefs and morals by the group you hang out with.

For me, being myself around everyone I know if fairly easy. I was always taught to act the same no matter where I'm at. But I think everyone is altered by where they are, and who they are with. For example, at church, I dress up and it doesn't bother me. However, at school, I hate dressing up. It's the setting that can alter you. Acting the same around everyone, not just my peers, but adults as well, is something that I've never found a challenge. I always hated seeing people who I knew so personally, change and become complete strangers as soon as someone talks in the room. However, I also have to look at being changed by people in a different perspective too. By living with the family I lived with, I was altered to believe the beliefs I do, and act the way I do. I would be naive to think they had no affect. Even on the subject that is brought up now, my family has had an affect on that too.

I think most people make these adjustments so they feel like they fit in, so they are excepted. I'll give you the cliche, monotone, heard it 2387324 times before speech: High school changes people. As freshman, we want to fit it. Most people won't admit that's the reason they changed and do the things they do, but why else? A lot of my friends from middle school, I don't even talk to anymore, and if I judged them by their actions, I wouldn't even know the person anymore. It's sad to see for me, because they were altered so drastically, in such a negative way. But then again, I have to think, the person they were when we were friends, was that the real them? Or were they easily influenced by me too? Was the only reason they chose to do good things, because everyone around them was too?

To be honest, and a tad blunt, I think its incredibly hypocritical and fake to be so easily influenced. If you cannot stand your ground as a person, and stand your ground for who you are, then who are you? If you won't voice your opinions and be proud of them, but you'll push those opinions to the back of your head the second someone says your wrong, then why have the opinions in the first place? I think its really sad to see how influenced people can be by others. Although I speak so harshly, I can see the other side of influence. Positive influence can be really benifical, and I don't know some people situations as to why they let people negativily influence them. I can only see it from my point of view. This I find hard, because it is so easy for me to point fingers at the people who are influenced, because it is so easy for me to stand my ground.

As for the question is this the real you, I ask the question: How would anyone know? And even, maybe, does that person even know? From the outside looking in, it seems as if the person changing so much would get them caught up and pushed away so far from who they really are, how do you find your way back? Maybe they know exactly who they are, they're just afraid to show it. //