For a student living away from home, anything that comes in the way of getting my degree is extremely frightening. And if it’s my irresponsibility, I don’t think I’d ever be able to face myself. What truly terrified me wasn’t just the inconvenience of replacing the ID—it was the potential misuse of it. Losing a personal identification card isn’t just about losing a physical item. It’s about losing control over who can access your personal information.
As a woman, the misuse of my ID had even deeper implications. In today’s interconnected world, personal information like an ID number, address, or college details can be used to track someone down or access sensitive information. The idea of someone impersonating me or gaining access to areas of my life without my consent was horrifying. Unfortunately, we live in a time where privacy and security are constantly at risk, and the simple act of losing an ID can spiral into a serious violation of safety and trust. I could replace 1,000 lip glosses, but losing my identity? That was something I couldn’t bear.
Seeing my panic, a kid selling roses nearby, noticed what had happened. Without giving it another thought, he quickly climbed down into the rocks to get my bag. I was overwhelmed by his kindness and prompt action. Thanks to him, I didn’t lose my bag—and more importantly, I didn’t lose my identity.
This experience taught me two profound lessons: the importance of identity in our lives and the power of kindness, regardless of the situation. Our identity cards aren’t just pieces of plastic—they’re our access keys to essential services.
Now that I think about this one night in the summer of 2021, It made me reflect on how much simpler life would have been if my college ID was digitized. If there had been a digital version of my ID, I wouldn’t have panicked about losing it. The convenience of a digital identity means we don’t have to rely on easily misplaced physical cards, and it offers an added layer of protection through encryption and verification mechanisms. Digital IDs, especially ones backed by platforms like qid, reduce the risk of identity theft, impersonation, and misuse.
The dilemma we all face is that, whether we carry our physical IDs or not, there seems to be a problem either way. If we don’t carry our IDs, we’re repeatedly denied access to essential services. On the flip side, when we do carry our IDs, we live in constant fear of losing them. It’s a strange paradox—something we can’t live without but are constantly worried about losing. And in the event of loss, the consequences can be severe: multiple visits to government offices, filing police reports, or even dealing with misuse that could follow you for years.
That night at Marine Drive made me realize that the future of identity is digital. In a world where everything from banking to shopping has moved online, it only makes sense that our identities should follow.
