The following is an essay that I wrote as apart of my Emerson Application. The prompt was to explain what I would title a story of my life up until now and why.
Not Milk. When in third grade I took on the saint name, "Isadora" and it turned my initials into the word "milk". I've always loved this accidental creation because it's given me the perfect humorous ice breaker. Even the most childish jokes can lead to the most heartfelt conversations. It's that shared laughter that bonds us, which is why I would use the title "Not Milk" for the story of my life. On one hand, it is a play on the slogan "Got milk?" and on the other it fully encompasses what the story of my life has been. I recently came to the conclusion that I have spent far too much time trying to be liked by others, just trying to "perfect" myself. However the cruel reality is that instead of becoming a better version of myself, I have become someone I don't even recognize, not me, not "milk". It pains me a little, to have taken 17 years to realize that, but now that I have, I aim to live more authentically in the chapters yet to come in the story of my life.