I believe on a certain level every person wears a mask at some point in their lives. As humans we have an inborn desire to fit in and become like other people in order to be accepted. I believe a significant amount of this happens during the middle school years. When people are in middle school their hormones are just starting to act up and they are very confused about life in general. It is easy to become wrapped up, during these vulnerable years, in the things society would have you believe are important. When you are in middle school all you really want is a place where you truly belong.
When all you want is to belong, there is a high probability that you will change yourself in order to achieve that goal. People change themselves in all manners of ways in order to fit in with a particular group. Some change the way they talk, the way they treat others, or the way they dress. Sometimes these changes that people adopt for acceptance are valuable and important changes, but most times I believe they are harmful and destructive changes. Unless the person you are aspiring to become like is a truly good example, usually someone older and wiser than you, most likely you will find that their influence has a negative impact on your character. Because the truth is, if someone cannot accept you for who you are then they are not a good friend anyway.
Generally people begin to develop into the person that they will become as they go through high school. Most habits are formed in these years, which is why it is extremely important for one to create a solid foundation during these crucial years. Occasionally people still try to become something they are not after they have passed these years in order to fit in with a group at work or in one's neighborhood, but generally the time of pretending is grown out of by the time one reaches an age of maturity.
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