Introduction to a Girl

 Hello/Bonjour/Hola

(Image Information: Greeting, Oneworld)

My name is Ann, or Ann Marie, or Anna, or whatever you want to call me. I grew up as Ann Marie, but that changed when I started public school at the age of 11. Then I was Ann. Once I started college, I reverted back to Ann Marie, but outside of school, I go by Ann. And some people call me Anna! It used to be confusing, but now I don't mind it. Whatever works, works. 

Here's a little bit about me:

I'm a French major and am studying Spanish as well, hence the trilingual greeting. What's slightly ironic is that I am Vietnamese, and am just about the only person in my family to not speak it. My relatives have been hounding me to learn for years, so maybe majoring in French was an unconscious rebellion on my part. I don't know, but hey, if they wanted me to know Vietnamese they should've taught me when I was young. 

I should make it clear, I have nothing against Vietnamese, I just never learned it as a child and don't see my family often enough to learn now. 

To be honest, majoring in French had nothing to do with Vietnamese. The truth is, I came to OU having no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I've just been figuring it along the way. In my years at OU,  one of the best classes that I've taken was Myths and Folklore, taught by the amazing Laura Gibbs. I had so much fun taking that class that I swore I was going to take her other class (this one) before I graduated. Now the time has come, and despite the pandemic, I am looking forward to learning a lot and growing as a writer with my Indian Epics blog. 

Other things about me: I love music, books, reading, and writing. I am very passionate about my favorite musicians and authors. I find inspiration while reading or listening to (in the form of songs, podcasts, or audiobooks) other people's writing, which is why I tend to idolize my favorites. One writer I really like is Rick Riordan, who wrote the Percy Jackson series. If I could be like any book author it would be him, because he manages to address series topics in a lighthearted, kid-appropriate, and hilarious way. His work has not only been very validating for people with ADHD, but also for LGBTQ and people of color.

One of my favorite songwriters is Taylor Swift. A lot of people write her off as some silly pop artist, and hey, I'm not gonna try to argue that her lyrics are deep or intelligent or whatever. What I find so fascinating about her songs is just how good they are at transporting the listener into whatever plot/story she's come up with. Even though the lyrics are not always unique, and can actually be quite repetitive, those basic lyrics full of the same simple phrases are pretty damn good at painting a picture. Give the girl a few key phrases, "dancing in the rain", "white dress", "summer love", and she'll write a song that's not only catchy but also heartrending and nostalgic, something that will leave you sighing after your high school sweetheart (even if you didn't have one.)  That's the kind of power I want to have when writing. She's very gifted, and her music always inspires me to write. 

I often find myself wanting to write, but lacking the motivation to do it. That's one great thing about this class. It pushes people to write, but allows so much creative freedom. I can't wait to read and write some awesome stories. Wish me luck with this semester, and good luck to all of you! We will get through this pandemic together.