My cultural identity was something I had never been well acquainted with most of my life. Until recently, I had been in the dark as to how my cultural identity affected my thoughts and behavior. Having been surrounded by people who have known and accepted me my entire life, I hardly thought to consider how who I am would affect my decisions and beliefs. However, in encountering people to whom cultural identity differences were apparent, I soon began to realize how my life is affected by my race and ethnicity as well as my socioeconomic status, which influences every decision facing me relating to money, and age, which affects what I can, can't or should do at several points in my life.

My great-great-grandparents were the first in my family to arrive in the United States, immigrating to this country from Europe. However, I am the first in my bloodline to arrive in the States, as I was adopted from South Korea in infancy. I have for the most part assumed the customs and practices of my adoptive parents because I was raised with their values and know nothing of my biological parents, minus their family name that I inherited.

The significance of my race and ethnicity has been ingrained in my mind since my mother took my younger brother and I to Asian cultural fairs before we had even started school. She did this in an effort to offset the lack of diversity in the area; my brother and I were the only Asian children at school and in the community. Thus, the realization that there are different "types" of people, as far as race and ethnicity, actually came to me in meeting other South Koreans.

Going to school further acquainted me with the fact that I differed racially from those I knew. Every time we would read a book in class that included a picture of an Asian girl, my classmates - mostly Caucasian or Mexican children - would unanimously point out that she looked like me and only me.

Attending college has helped cement the idea of my cultural identity, for that was the first time I ever came in contact with other peoples en masse. I was finally able to witness various races and ethnicities of students and faculty from around the world. I met my boyfriend in college and met his family, who are Chinese and Filipino. Most of my life I had only been exposed to White people, so being able to escape that bubble and experience how other people lived allowed me to see how I was racially different. This encouraged me to learn more about these differences and how they truly affect how I live. Also, taking college courses with a multicultural focus contributed to my perspectives concerning these differences and influences.

Socioeconomic status has constantly been an important facet in my life, beginning with the pecuniary lessons my parents tried to teach me in my youth. Though my parents have worked hard for as long as I can remember, we have never been financially capable of having everything we want, and my parents have made sure that I remember this to preclude as much disappointment on my part as possible. My mother even arranged for my first job as a sandwich-maker in a deli when I was 14 years old to teach me that I am capable of paying for the things I want.

Having this mindset created by the fragility of my family's socioeconomic status and the realities of the economy has allowed me to be appreciative and respectful of the things I buy. This is important to me because I want my possessions and funds to last. When I see peers having financial problems due to ill judgment, I am grateful that mine has been developed from an earlier age. Additionally, my experiences have given me the confidence that I can cover myself financially, which is important now that I am nearing graduation.

Age is yet another significant facet in my life, affecting what I know, what I do and why I do them at many points in my life. Even in my childhood, I was restricted from participating in certain activities because my age. Thanks to rules placed by parents and other institutional figures like the government, I am reminded nearly every day of the things I can and cannot do. Most importantly, however, I am reminded of the things I can do when I see those older than me restricted ways that can never be reversed or waited out. Hearing my parents complain about their aches and ailments brought about by old age, for instance, is a sign to me that I should be appreciative of the abilities my younger age allows me.

As my race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status and age have developed in significance over the years, I have been able to recognize how those parts of my identity affect me in my everyday life. For instance, while I feel comfortable in most situations, I admittedly tend to feel a bit nervous around certain groups of people because I involuntarily associate them, based on stereotypes, with people who have treated me unpleasantly because of my race. As I have aged, started jobs, left home and attended college, I have begun spending time with new acquaintances who cause me to look at my race and ethnicity by their curiosity about or superior knowledge of it. Even if I initially feel comfortable with a group of people, I now cannot help but notice if I am the only Asian or minority among them, thanks to what I have learned about the complexities race and ethnicity can create within a person.

Sometimes I feel guilty for not knowing more about my race and ethnicity, especially when I see others who are very proud and knowledgeable of their culture. I consider myself inauthentic to my blood, but I find it difficult to learn more about South Korea when I am not close to anyone knowledgeable or representative of that culture.

My race and ethnicity do not affect me so frequently as my socioeconomic status, as I often can surround myself with acquaintances whose values and tastes I agree with. They don't restrict or bother most of the day. However, money is regularly on my mind. My socioeconomic status often affects the decisions I make in everyday situations, if not preventing me altogether from taking part in activities requiring money. I oftentimes grow agitated or anxious over everyday financial issues, more so than I think most people would react in such situations. Since my parents have instilled the values of saving and parsimony in me at an early age, I have developed a mindset allowing me to spend as efficiently as possible. This mindset exists whether I'm presently dealing with money or not. Whether I shop for a new pair of shoes or a tube of toothpaste, I will take as much time as I feel necessary to decide on what I want to buy. I never start with anything that's not on sale. If I feel I have spent too much money, I will feel guilty about it and will try to think of ways to compensate for what I've done.

Today I pay for college, most of my living costs and anything I might additionally want. In order to cover these costs, I need to work a certain number of hours a week to ensure I stay out of debt and avoid taking out loans, which I don't want to deal with before I even buy a house. I have three jobs and work 30 to 40 hours a week, and I will not just refrain from partaking in events that include a fee or the chance that I will spend money, but I often pass up activities in order to work.

Age is another cultural identity factor that restricts me from everything I want to do. I often spend time with people who are over 21, and while I want to have as much fun as they do, my efforts are often thwarted by the law, as I am 20 years old and still too young to do everything all my friends can. I enjoy dancing and relaxing at clubs and bars, but I am often restricted from these activities because I am too young. Age also acts as a sort of timeline, with years or periods signifying checkpoints for life goals. I expect to be married no earlier than 23 or 24 because that's when most people get married. There is the stress that I will not accomplish what I hope to do before I die by the ages deemed appropriate by societal norms. I feel pressured to complete tasks at the same rate as those my age, if not faster. By that same token, I feel more successful because I am graduating at the age of 20, at least two years earlier than most people in my college.