It occurred to me when drafting this that a few aspects of my personality make writing an introductory blog post especially difficult for me: 1) I have a tendency to overshare, 2) I crave structure, and 3) the only thing that stresses me out more than first impressions is letting people read my writing. In fact, I stopped letting my mom proofread my essays somewhere around third grade. But I’ll do my best and start with the standard introduction: name, major, hometown.
My name is Angelina (like Angelina Ballerina) and my last name is Little (like Stuart Little). I don’t know how to feel about the fact that I share both my names with animated mice, but I could do worse. I’m hoping to major in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and learn enough to do some good in the world (though sometimes when I spend enough time in a bookstore I wish I was an English major instead).
I grew up in a suburb right outside Berkeley, California. Whatever your stereotypes are about the Bay Area, I probably fit a fair percentage of them. A lot of who I am came from growing up there, and I am proud of my granola origins. I miss the nature, the culture, and of course the ever-foggy, temperate weather, but I’m starting to see the beauty in Michigan too (although I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how flat it is here).

Outside the basics, I’m still figuring out how to define myself. I spent most of high school feeling confined to my peers’ perceptions of me, so leaving that version of myself 2,000 miles behind has been overwhelmingly freeing. Without the shackles of my high school reputation, I’ve grown a lot more independent and confident and been able to let go of some of my teen angst. Even so, I’m still trying to figure out exactly who I am outside my name, major, and hometown.
Here are some things I know for sure: I believe any problem can be solved by dunking yourself in a cold body of water (rivers preferred). My favorite songs feel so personal I rarely share music with anyone. I know astrology isn’t real but read my horoscope regularly (I’m a Taurus). I’ve cried at art exhibits before and probably will again. I’d rather walk a mile than order an Uber but will pay $5 for a latte with a pretty word like “rose” or “lavender” in it. My biggest bucket list item is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail someday.
I guess who I am is just as undeclared as my major — I have a pretty good idea of where I’m going, but nothing is certain just yet.