We've all developed nicknames one way or another. Some that are really cool while others are foolish and potentially offensive. Even over the last couple of years, I received some nicknames of my own, but fortunately, they've all been rather good ones.
Nicknames bring back memories and symbolize something more about someone. Nicknames always provide some benefit regardless of their purpose and background behind it. Some of the nicknames I received have brought lessons, memories, purpose, and most importantly, friends.
1. Matty
The nickname first started when my family moved to a new neighborhood over a decade ago. We joined this local golf course, and the people are very friendly there. For reasons I still don't know, the head pro who is still a very close family friend called me Matty, and many of the members still call me that to this day. Having that name represents everything I've learned through golf.
2. Little Guy
Being the youngest kid in the neighborhood, having the nickname Little Guy made sense for a while. Most of us would play golf and enjoy the swimming pool every now and then. Surprisingly, that was over ten years ago, and we're all grown up now. Even so, I will always be the little guy. The name will always come up when reminiscing every now and then. I guess the name brings back simpler times.
3. Japan
I know what you're thinking. Having a country for a nickname sounds really awkward, and I completely agree. Back in grade school, my friends were really into this anime called Hetalia. I honestly have never watched it, but the characters were named based on countries who just did random and funny stuff from what I remember. In a sense, my friends and I were all like them.
Grade school was a time when we all did stuff just for the laughs, and I did not care what anyone thought about me or my friends. I guess that kind of mindset was the gateway to High School and in life.
4. Tummbo
The nickname Tummbo has definitely carried a lot of weight over the years even to this very day. At first, the name didn't stick to me right away. Rather, it was just a cover. The original name Mr.Tummy was used as a gamer tag for this old game called Halo 2 on the Xbox. My friends and I would always play against each other, and apparently, I wasn't half bad. Some of my friends would say that I was an all-around player, and it got me addicted to shooting games.
A few years after, I got a Playstation 3 for Christmas (thanks, Mom and Dad.) I joined the Playstation Network that allows people to play games online, and it asked for a gamer tag. Obviously, the choice was clear. However, I felt that Mr. Tummy sounded way too awkward and cliche, so the name was changed it to mr-tummbo44. Throughout high school, I started playing other shooting games especially the Call of Duty series and the occasional golf video games. Most of the time, I'd play with my friends on the golf team against others online, and they were a lot better than me. Still, I got better at the games which made them a lot more fun in the long run.
Then, the third year of high school rolled around. It was during my physics class when I overheard some of my classmates talking about Call of Duty. I didn't know them as well at the time, but it couldn't hurt to ask to play a couple online games. When they saw my gamer tag, it was no surprise that most of them were confused. That weekend, I noticed that these guys normally played against each other like I used to with my friends in Halo 2, so this was only natural to me. Then again, I never knew how good they really were, but it turns out that I easily kept up with them in terms of skill if not better. I even used weird but sophisticated methods in the game that not many of them have seen before, but I'd still win at the end. Most of them were irritated to the point where one of them said, "Stop being such a Tummbo!"
That's when the name stuck.
Throughout the rest of high school, we'd all play video games a lot, and I was and still am one of the better ones in the group. Of course, now that college has rolled around, we don't have the time to get online as much as we used to. Though, some of us still try to play other games like Catan.
Despite all of us doing our own thing now, many of my close friends still call me Tummbo to this day.
Nicknames will provide a great form of meaning in life. What that meaning tells is completely up to you.
Because they always give strength for something bigger.
