Michele. My name could mean a lot of things, depending on who you ask. To strangers, I seem like a goofy teenage girl who is friendly most of the time. I would probably be told that my name has a strange spelling as it is really supposed to be spelled like 'Michelle.' I would just shrug my shoulders and say "I don't know why my name is spelled like that." But I am just Michele. And I like that.

To peers, I seem like a kind kid who is socially confused. High school automatically forces you to be in cliques. I don't like nor do I fit into any specific clique. I consider everyone to be a friend, even if they just smile at me in the school hallway or run up to me and ask how my day was going. I appreciate those moments because, in a few years, I will have to share those same moments but with different people from all over the world, not just Monmouth County. But I am just Michele. And I like that.

To teachers, I seem like a pretty decent student. I'm not the smartest kid but I'm not the kid who is gonna look back at high school and think it was such a waste. Sure, it's not fun at times but it's so liberating. These are the times when I don't have super important responsibilities but I have goals for when high school is over. Older people say that their high school years were some of the best years of their life. I think I can believe that and maybe one day, when I am fat and old, I could say the same thing. But for now, I am just Michele. And I like that.

To friends, I seem like a funny and laid back person. I can agree to that to a certain degree. I love to make people laugh and I don't like causing trouble so I just stay as calm as I possibly can. Most of the time, it doesn't really work so I don't know why people think I am laid back. Maybe I'm just naturally a cool and nonchalant person. I hope that's the case because that sounds really great to me. But I am just Michele. And I like that.

To my family, I seem like a daughter and a sister who they can rely on for anything. My parents always barge into my room and ask me if the text they are about to send makes sense and my brother likes to talk about petty Youtuber drama with me. They are just ridiculous and shallow conversations. As an emotional person, I don't like personal conversations. Usually, they just sound depressing and I like to avoid depressing things. The world is already sad but I like the sun, the stars and the moon that shines bright lights on it. My family is like the sun. I need them and they make me happy and I'm so grateful for them because, in some places in the world, the sun doesn't shine as bright as mine. But I am just Michele. And I like that.

To myself, I am a stranger,

a peer,

a student,

a friend,

a sister,

a daughter and everything else in between.

But I am just Michele, a person with a name.

And I like Michele,

both the name

and the person.