How Beth Became ‘Beth’
Since we’re all new here, I guess I should take a second to introduce myself, and I figure I should start with my name. I haven’t always been Beth. Before I was Beth, I was Elizabeth, Ellie, and Eia. Actually, I was never meant to be Beth.
I was the new kid, standing in front of my second third-grade classroom, with my mom standing behind me, when my teacher invited me to introduce myself. She asked me my name, and I blurted out, “Beth!” I looked back at my mom, and she looked absolutely perplexed. I hadn’t even thought about it before; I decided in the moment, panicked about making a good first impression on the people who would be my peers, and hopefully friends, for the next six years. I had no idea that a split-second decision would be one of the most defining moments of my life: my name.
With my family, I have always been Elizabeth. Occasionally, someone throws out a “Beth, " which truly catches me off guard. Like, wait, are you talking to me??? However, there is one scenario wherein my mom claims me as “Beth.” And that would be at a restaurant’s hostess stand. Growing up “Elizabeth,” when we’d go up to a hostess stand to put our name in, my mom would always say my dad’s name because it was shorter than hers. Then, one day, we went up to a hostess stand, they asked for the name, and she said, “Beth.” She blurted it out, no reason to it, just like little ol’ me.
After I became ‘Beth,’ I collected a few other names along the way. Nicknames like Bethany, Bethy, Bethyboo, Beff, and B never fail to go triple platinum with my friends. People usually pick an alternative nickname to my already nicked name and stick to it. I know a ‘Bethy’ to a ‘Bethany’ girl like the back of my hand, and I love them all.
Being Beth has been a whirlwind of new places, new faces, new names, all adding new bits to this Beth. It’s weird to think I was never meant to be her, although I suppose I always have been. I think she’s pretty cool.
Feeling weird about how short this one is so I’m gonna give you a little rapid fire Beth Xanthopoulos Trivia Study Guide (Most subject to change)
Birthday: July 19 (I’m a cancer, couldn’t you tell??)
Favorite Color: Green & Blue
Comfort Cuisine: Greek
Dunkin Order: Iced Coffee with Oat Milk & Caramel (I occasionally sub for a seasonal flavor)
Favorite Trader Joe’s Frozen Item: Beef Bulgogi Fried Rice
Emotional Support Water bottle: Yellow Owala
Eyesight: Bad
Favorite Sweet Treat: Any Tony’s Chocolonely Milk Chocolate Bar
On Repeat: Sza SOS Deluxe: Lana
#1 Poppi Flavor: Orange Cream
Favorite Animal: Shark
Favorite Candy: Albanese True to Fruit Gummy Bears
Write you soon!
Beth
