Hiding Behind the Mask

As a non-traditional student attending college, I sometimes ponder on how I have secluded myself. I am taking both online and face-to-face classes, and seem to hide my fears one time or another. Like Paul Laurence Dunbar in his poem, “We Wear the Mask” I can tell that different types of people do hide behind the mask rather than being honest with themselves, because I seem to do that also, whether it is to save ourselves or the feelings of another.
When I participate in my online classes, I seem to say things in discussions that I wouldn’t say in a face-to-face setting, so I seem to hide behind a mask while in my classes. The mask hides my fears, and emotions that I would be ashamed to show otherwise. As in “We Wear the Mask” they also have fears, and emotions, but their fears are of the history that they have suffered. We all seem to put on fake faces and pretend for many different reasons.
As an argument, however, I hide behind a mask not for negativity or intentional, but it does allow me to respond with my real thoughts and ideas. Dunbar’s mask is used to hide their true selves behind grins, and lies. However, I believe many people hide behind a mask because of being ashamed to show a part of their real identities, or because of a lie in one form or another. I believe one should learn from the past, and take off the mask so that you can clearly see what lies ahead.