I Don't Like Kathy

Current: Recently, due to Nicole leaving her phone in orchestra, Mrs. Stuart asked if she could call me "Kathy". Instinctively I shouted a big "NOOOO", before turning to Nicole and telling her to immediately change my contact. 

Elementary: The name "Kathy" was first given to me by Sritha Velireddy in the fourth grade. I didn't mind it then because it was Sritha. I didn't  think the name would stick. Over years I avoided Katie, Kate, Kitty, and Kat. There were already people I associated with those names and I liked my long original name. 

Middle: Kp developed in middle school by close friends which was somewhat tolerable. 

Highschool: Freshmen year, all these Boulan kids crash into my life, calling me Kathy and occasionally Kyp. It's so weird.

Current: I still cringe when people call me by that name. It's got me thinking, do I act old? Am I like grandma-core? To be honest, my parents literally choose me and my sister's names, from a baby naming book while sitting in the hospital room. We all have pretty old names: Katherine, Audrey, Helena. While I do like my name, people still spell it wrong. Like my cello teacher who still writes my name with a C even though I've known him for five years.

Growing up with "Katherine" as my name has definitely effected my childhood. One of my closest friends had the same name, and in second grade we were one of the three name twins in our class. But also, I know that at school I would have had a very different experience if my first name was my Korean name. It helped me fit into that school, where I was one out of the two Koreans in my grade, and almost made me disregard my Korean culture. Coming to a school like Troy High, I realize I do feel very unsure about which category I fall into. But here, that is the majority. Being able to be in a community where many people can relate has been a privilege. While there are both benefits and disadvantages, I've become attuned to my own and others' backgrounds, truly feeling what being Korean-American feels like.

And one more thing, sometimes I just don't want to be "Katherine" so I decide to be Bessie. On any Doordash or food orders I put myself down as Bessie or even David Lee, because apparently being a male gets you more portions. That and strangers don't need to know my actual name so, yes I am picking up an order for David Lee.