Mask On
This article was written by a guest writer, Luce Cada
Many of us have heard of the term “wearing a mask”. In today’s society, it could mean one of two things: wearing a mask to protect yourself from COVID-19 or wearing a mask to protect yourself from hurtful words. But those two things go hand in hand more than one may think.
It is not uncommon for Gen Z to switch personalities based on who they are around. Some may think they have only two personalities: one around their family and one around their friends. But there are slight nuances that they may not even detect. Their tones change when they speak to their teachers or other people of authority. They may act differently if they are around someone they like. If someone has multiple friend groups, they might hide certain things and change aspects of their behavior without even realizing it.
Why? It differs from person to person. If they grew up in an environment where they were held back from expressing emotions, they might let it all out on their friends. If they have a hidden talent that only one group knows of, they may not share it with others due to insecurities or worrying about what others will think of them. If they are going through a rough patch in their life, they may cover it up with a smile. Everyone can attest to that because there are some things that one might not want to share. There are things that people hide for good reasons. They do it for what they think is right for them. But having many sides may get confusing or overwhelming, especially as Gen Z matures.
Growing up comes with the responsibility of navigating the internet, and that develops a new personality: the internet personality. Throughout the pandemic, everyone grew to rely on the internet to communicate. Using emojis and slang, Gen Z has grown comfortable with communicating through a screen. Hiding behind a screen makes it easier to share thoughts with the community. But there are some things you hide from the internet, too. The glowing boxes in front of us are the only windows to the outside world, and it is just another mask we need to protect ourselves from the virus and others.
Having many personalities is neither good nor bad. It is a skill that humans have picked up to protect themselves. It may grow tiresome to be someone else every time you meet a new group of people. Yet, even if some of your personalities seem nothing like you, they are now a part of you. It might seem like you will never have one personality that is the authentic version of you, but that is what makes you and everyone around you a mystery. You are the only person who knows who you are behind your masks, and that is okay.
