If you've been following my blog for very long, you have probably noticed that I sign every post the same way...
" -Jenn (With 2 N's) "
You might be wondering why it even matters how many N's are in my name. Well, let me tell you.
I've always been finicky about my name. Always. As long as I can remember. Maybe it came from the first time I learned my big sister named me after her baby doll when my parents couldn't decide on what to name me, or the fact that half the girls in my classes growing up were also named Jennifer. Who knows, but I've always wanted to be able to take ownership over my own, personal, "Jennifer."
When I went from junior high to high school, I declared to my mother that I no longer wanted to be called Jennifer, but would prefer to be called by my middle name, Leann. She obliged, but no one else did. It's rather difficult to get people to start calling you something totally different halfway through your school years. I then went through a phase of wanting to be Jennie. Not Jenny. Jenny was a girl I went to school with. Jennie was who I wanted to be. Then, I hated the name Jennie.
Somewhere in high school I started signing my papers "Jenn," because it was easier than writing out my full name. Shockingly, it stuck! Even though there were other girls named Jenn, it just became a thing. A close friend saw that I signed it with 2 n's, and began to tease me about it. He would purposefully write me notes or things and put "Jen" on them just to aggravate me. In my Senior book, he left me a sweet note that said "To Jenn...with 2 N's..."
From then on, I became Jenn. My family and many of my close friends who have known me for a long time still call me Jennifer, but throughout college I was known as Jenn. The new friends I made knew me only as Jenn. I'm pretty sure if I even attempted to change my name now, my friends would all boycott me. :)
So, there you have it. I suppose in the end I got my way. I got to be Jenn...but make sure it's with 2 N's. Or as one of my best friend's likes to tease... JenN. =)
-Jenn (With 2 N's)
P.S.
To this day, my mother still calls me Leann. I still don't much prefer Jennie. Or Jenny. I can count on one hand the people I willingly allow to call me that. Most of them are old ladies. ;)
