Tag: Hello?

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. 

Not to start this post on a tangent and a major throwback, but after typing out the title of this post I can’t help but think of Nick Jonas singing to his forbidden girlfriend in Camp Rock 2. Maybe all introductions should just be like his – a song filled with plenty of information to really get to know someone within the two minutes you are listening to it (after all, his song is called ‘Introducing Me’). Either way, now I have that song is stuck in my head…

Nick Jonas aside, here we are trying to introduce ourselves while not knowing what all to include, how much to share, and what constitutes a ‘good’ fun fact to share. Is being a dog person a good enough fun fact? Or maybe I should talk about how I worked as a camp counselor over the summer? Or maybe I could mention my love for art? Oh, I know! I should talk about how I met Reggie the Corgi for the first time yesterday.  In all honesty, I could talk about each of those facts plenty, but they only show a little bit of what makes me, me. 

Like most people, I still don’t really know what I want to do with my life, but then again, we have plenty of time to figure that out… right? I am currently studying Art and Design in Stamps and have a minor in PitE, so if you love artsy things or talking about the earth, I’m your girl (and because people usually follow up asking to see my art, here is the link to my website). I also have a love for writing, which I’m sure you already guessed. Where all my interests intersect is still a mystery to me, so if you happen to have any insights, please keep me updated. Please. 

Outside of class I accidentally start dancing to the music from my headphones in the middle of the diag, travel with my family, spend time with friends, love to be outdoors, and have an addiction to ice cream. As a matter of fact, my roommate just walked in and handed me a bowl of mysterious red ice cream and told me to eat it. Turns out it’s Flaming Hot Cheetos flavored, and I think the idea that ice cream can taste like Hot Cheetos and has real pieces of Cheetos in it is grosser than how it actually tastes. Since when is ice cream chip favored?! All I can say is, try at your own risk. 

Despite my most recent ice cream adventure, when I think about the upcoming year I can’t wait for all the exploring that is ahead of me. Pushing myself to try new things, both in my daily life and in my writing are two things I am looking forward to, and I really can’t wait to see where it takes me! 

/Joo-lee-uh/ noun

1. The author of this post who had no idea how else to start it and will now continue to struggle to define herself for your entertainment

Honestly, this is maybe the fifth (?) time in the past year that I’ve been asked to “write a brief introduction of yourself.” In theory, that would make this super easy, quick, and painless. But here’s my issue: every time I’m asked to sum up my existence in a few fun facts it sparks a minor existential crisis. I don’t like introducing myself for the same reason I don’t like picking a favorite food – it feels limiting. So instead of listing off my stats (hometown, major, job, etc), I’m going to tell y’all some of the contradictions that stop me from being able to write a traditional introduction and define myself as just one thing. Who knows, maybe this will end up telling you something about me that even I can’t articulate yet. Or, maybe it will just be confusing.

I’ve spent my entire life in the state of Michigan, and I absolutely love it here. Yet, at the same time, I’m itching to get far away for a time (aka for grad school). As far as hobbies go, the most interesting thing that I like to do is linoleum cut printmaking – but don’t worry I haven’t carved or made a print in ages. I also truly enjoy going to for runs and working out because it helps clear my head. It’s just that the whole making myself go for a run or go to the gym is usually a painful process and the most difficult part of my day. Lately I’ve taken to the habit of pulling up games of Bejeweled when I’m feeling particularly stressed out, but in general I don’t like video games – if Bejeweled even counts as a video game?

I’m in the writing minor so naturally you would assume that I like writing. I don’t hate writing per se, but let’s just say that given the option to write or not to write, I would rather not write. I do, in fact, enjoy reading, but there’s a solid nine months of the year when the only reading I do is assigned. And I don’t enjoy that type of reading at all.

Well, I think that’s all I’ll say for now. I’m sorry if I didn’t give you much of an actual explanation of who I am. But let’s be honest was I ever going to?

As a consolation prize, here’s the link to my Spotify account (one of my most prized and intimate possessions). I promise it’s more enjoyable than this post.

Hello! My name is Isabelle Mark. To most people I’m around, I’m known as Izzy. I was born in New York City and now live on Long Island, New York. I am the first born of three in a family that we refer to as the ‘Mark Five.’ My parents are named Stephanie and Ira Mark. My brother Benny just turned seventeen and my sister Lilly is eleven. Growing up, I was always a curious little girl who loved a good story. Learning about people and discovering new places excites me.  I love to travel with family and friends, document my experiences with photography, and follow every fashion trend.  Writing has always been a passion of mine. From blogging in high school about being the first Gluten Free girl in a time where Celiac was very uncommon, to now reading and composing fashion pieces for the Michigan Fashion Media Summit on campus, I still carry this love for writing with me wherever I go! As a Writing Minor, I hope to learn even more about myself as a person and as a writer. I have already learned so much through our creative class exercises, which have brought up previous moments in my life that have significant meaning to me. I am eager to embark on this new writing journey and see where my writing can go! 

Below I attached a picture of my family, a screenshot of the MFMS Instagram account, and some of my photography I just took in Italy. I hope you enjoy! 🙂

Howdy.

I didn’t know how to start off my introduction because practically every greeting sounded too enthusiastic, too dry, or phony when I envisioned myself saying it. Plus, howdy seemed unconventional enough to where my saying it could totally be a Tatiyana-thing. Didn’t wanna make it seem like I was trying too hard, so I added a period after howdy. Very nonchalant of me.

Still not really sure how I want to do this introduction of me because I don’t really know what to say about myself. I’m sorta grappling with the fact that I haven’t been the one to define myself for quite some time now and I need to learn who I am these days to start.

Because I don’t really know how to define myself anymore, I’m hoping that a description of my current state will help explain me: I’m currently sitting criss-crossed on my couch, typing with greasy confetti cookie dough fingers, and waiting for my peel-off face mask to dry. I am sporting my favorite pair of men’s Frosty the Snowman pajama pants, a raggedy Save the Whales shirt from the San Diego pier/my favorite city in the world, and a mismatched pair fuzzy socks that differ in length. My hair is in a messy bun because I haven’t learned to tame it in the twenty years I’ve been on this planet, but it ties the look together quite nicely. The apartment is definitely way too warm for me to be dressed like this, but that’s just because the oven is turning the small amount of cookie dough that I didn’t eat into real cookies. Also because the fireplace is running on a sticky, humid day so my pooch can sleep peacefully in front of it and because my roommate and I are unofficially competing to be his favorite foster mom and I’m most definitely buttering him up.

I think my physical description is a good indicator of where I’m at right now: I finally got out of an unhealthy relationship that I let set the confines of my character for almost two years. Things are a little messy right now but I’m hoping to turn the messy bits into something happy, like the chaotic piles of sprinkles, sugar, eggs, and butter transforming in my oven as I type that are an objectively happy thing.

I’m in my oven stage right now.

Is this the part where I’m supposed to tell you I’m left-handed or that I was born in Ann Arbor before I moved around the country for the next 15 years until I finally found myself back here for college? Is this the part where I tell you two truths and a lie and you try and guess whether it’s more unlikely that I’ve have 23 teeth pulled or never been to Canada? Both are true by the way.

I could tell you that I’m a junior with a double major in history and economics that I have no idea what I’m going to do with. And I could tell you that I studied abroad this summer and that “abroad changed me”, but I’d feel pretty pretentious if I did. I’d probably tell you that I love to write, but it would fall on deaf ears because who here doesn’t? If I told you that I don’t like to read though, I’m sure a few eyebrows would raise.

But even if I told you all these things, all these truths about me, I’m still allowed my one lie. I guess I’d be lying if I told you that I knew who I am and have any idea who I will be. I guess that’s what we’re all here to find out.