so...this is the first draft of my college essay that i actually like...and keep in mind this is a complete evolution from the first dragt which none or very little of you will get the chance to see...but i would like some opinions, critiques, feelings, constructive criticism...anything will help at this point...like i know the transitions suck or at least thats what i think...but i want to know what u think...i hope you like it... A fedora, a paperboy???s cap, a conductor???s hat, and a knit cap - what do all of these pieces of headwear have in common? They all reside in my top drawer, along with loads more to keep them company. I have plenty of different hats and they each get plenty of use. Wearing each hat is like wearing a different me. The fedora makes me feel that I have that pizzazz. The paperboy???s cap makes me feel funky. The conductor???s hat puts me in a punk-rock mood. The woolen cap makes me feel confident and comfortable. It may be silly, but each of these hats is a part of me. They each show a different side to my personality, a unique identity that I feel like trying out for the day. I am 17 years old, and the older I get, the more I know I don???t know. Nothing is ever certain. Change will always occur, and that is something special. Most people believe that as they get older the more they???ll know. They???ll show this by following one specific line of thought that is represented in their work, style, and opinions. They???ll be stuck in one metaphorical hat for the rest of their lives. However, it is much better to follow ten different crazy zigzagging lines than to settle for just one. It is better to embrace the idea that we don???t know, that many hats will fit, than to struggle to find the one thing that we may possibly know. Most teenagers are full of confidence in themselves and who they are. Yet, people who have surpassed their adolescence, whether in their 20???s, 30???s, 40???s or older, look back on their former gawky teenage-selves and remember that they thought they knew it all. They thought they knew about the world, about the future, about themselves. Things haven???t changed much either because most teens still feel this way. Yet, for as long as I can remember, I have always been asking myself the question, ???Who am I???? It seems that this question has never led me to a final product, but it has allowed my creativity, imagination, and current surroundings to let me find the best of what I can offer at that moment. Although there may never truly be a final product, it???s not as bad as it may sound. With each new discovery, I know that another one will come soon enough. The problem with someone as young as I am being so interested in finding out about myself is that, often times, I???m setting myself up for failure. Yet, the best part about beginning the hunt for identity so young is that you allow yourself to be so many different things. You can be as many different people as you want to be, each new identity being unique and original in their own way. These new findings lead to new curiosity not only about yourself, but about others, certain beliefs, what you want to learn and how you want to learn. Just put on a different hat. My best quality is that I don???t know who I am. Well...who are you? leave as many comments as you want "confidence" ianna drew