WHO AM I? F
Opportunity fair opens new paths BY HATIM SAIFEE
How our beliefs, aspirations and culture shape us
BY CHELSEA LI AND ESHANI MEHTA
R
eligion, upbringing, our interests and the people around us. There are a diverse range of factors that make up our identity, or who we are. As we grow and mature, from our childhood to teenage years to adulthood, we gradually realize and embrace our identity, discovering and developing new interests and qualities. Some parts of one’s identity may be �ixed from a young age, such as a passion for soccer or one’s Asian American culture, while others may develop as one gains new knowledge, such as political standings and future aspirations. Cultural aspects of one’s identity are often developed starting at a young age, and are heavily in�luenced by external factors such as family ideals, location, religious beliefs and traditions. On the other hand, individuals have more control over other aspects of their identities, such as their goals for the future and their personal beliefs. Education and experience can have a strong in�luence on one’s morals, values and even political beliefs. Additionally, whether one is strongly drawn to a speci�ic career path at a young age or realizes what one’s calling is
after trying various activities in high school and college, aspirations are crucial in shaping identity. Living at the forefront of technological advancement, individuals are able to express their identities through their views and comments on social media, connecting with countless people from diverse backgrounds with different perspectives. Inevitably, while the convenience of social media allows one to easily share his or her opinions, social media platforms often allow users distort their identities while hiding behind chat boxes or anonymous usernames. Despite the wide variety of individual identities, politicians often attempt to target particular qualities of racial, ethnic or religious groups as a whole in order to promote speci�ic policies. Their generalization of identity into certain groups can result in the exclusion of minorities within these groups, leaving their voices and opinions unheard. This issue, the Epic delves deeper into the factors contributing to the development of one’s identity, politicians’ misguided focus on identity in politics and the growing role of social media in identity. see IDENTITY page 8
ERIC WU — EPIC
illed with mentors looking for students to join their teams, the Lynbrook Opportunity Fair, which took place on March 21, hosted companies and organizations aiming to familiarize students with local jobs, volunteering and internship opportunities to help them with the job application process and gain experience in their �ields of interest. College and Career Center counselors Barb Takahashi and Kathy Tang organize the fair during the spring to help students make the most out of their summer. “The main purpose is for students to apply for jobs, summer programs and volunteering opportunities that they did not know about,” said Takahashi. “Hopefully, it motivates them to plan for the summer.” Visiting opportunity fairs helps students learn about different options and gives them the chance to ask the representatives questions face to face. “It’s better to talk to people because you get to make personal connections with the representatives,” said junior Medha Gelli, who found her summer job through the Opportunity Fair. “You can sign up on their email list so that they can update you instead of you having to search for information.” Approximately 28 organizations set up their stands at the fair. California’s Great America and De Anza Cupertino Aquatics were just a few of the corporations that offered team member applications to students. Pioneer Academics and Rustic Pathways presented their summer programs, while the City of Cupertino and The Children’s Discovery Museum offered volunteering opportunities. Part-time and summer jobs allow students to develop important competencies that help them in real life. “Having a career is really important so that you can learn the value of money,” said junior Nikita Rangwala, a crew member at Chipotle. “You also get to meet people from different cultures and age groups.” Although students must be at least 16 years old to legally work in the United States, younger students can look to internship and volunteering opportunities to help them gain experience in their �ield of interest. “An internship lets you apply skills that you learn at school in the real world,” said junior Arushi Gautam, an intern for Coast Forensic League. “You should de�initely apply for internships if it helps gain exposure in your �ields of interest.” Though summer is a time for relaxation and spending quality time with friends, it also presents valuable opportunities for students to participate in summer programs or take pre-college courses, work for an organization as an intern and take courses to complete graduation requirements. The Opportunity Fair showcases various job, internship, summer program and volunteer opportunities to help students make the most of their time, guiding them along the path to success.
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