What’s your nickname?

What is your NICKNAME?

Did you answer that question mentally as soon as you read it? Or did you think…….”that’s a really random question!”? I’m sure at least half of you that read this will REALLY have to scratch your head and think hard to answer that question. You may have to go trailing back to your childhood in search of the elusive answer. If that’s what you have to do, embrace it and try and find an answer.

Now some of you blessed folks may have been able to answer within 5 seconds………or less! I am eternally fortunate to be in that category!

Here’s why:

Now if you’re reading this post, I can safely assume you’ve seen the title of this new blog, right? “Wolfsta” is derived from a school nickname I obtained way back in the glory days of 2005, when I was a wet behind the ears schoolboy of some 13 years of age (good times) 🙂 At that time I had just moved with my family from the hustle and bustle of East London to the calmer (and windier) Essex coast 😉 This was a huge occasion for me and remains one of my biggest lifestyle ventures to date!

The daunting task of being the “NEW BOY”

Yes, inevitably that was me and leading up to my first day at the new school, the thought of the process filled me with anxiety! I kept playing over all kinds of potential scenarios in my mind……….”What if nobody likes me??!!”…………..What if I never find friends as good as I had just left behind??!!”…………you name it, I had thought it!

So what actually happened??

Well thankfully, none of the above 🙂 What I didn’t know at that time, as the days leading up to my first day approached ferociously, was that the birth of a nickname that I cannot and will not be able to shake even to this day was about to be born! Enter the “Wolfman”!

Why call me the Wolfman?

Well for those of you who hadn’t taken a correct educated guess, it was because at 13 years of age I stood a fraction under 6 feet tall and was sporting facial hair!!!!! NO WORD OF A LIE! Ok, ok, I couldn’t grow a “full beard” but believe me, I could grow better facial hair than a lot of my friends can today at 22 or 23! You can safely say I was an early developer in every sense! Picture the scene, virtually every girl was intrigued by me and a lot of the boys wished they were me! That glorious nickname stayed attached to me like my dear old grandmother’s wedding ring that’s been attached to her finger since her wedding day in 1953! Yes 1953!

9 years down the line

I’m 22 years of age and have been a graduate of school for approaching seven years (struggling to believe it), the old “time flies!” cliche huh? I’m still in touch with a good proportion of my school friends and I’m so so fortunate to be able to say that! That nostalgic nickname is as prevalent now as it was when it first stuck………..Admittedly, it has slowly modified to the slightly cooler “wolfsta” with the hands of time. But I cannot shake it and would I want to? Would I have it any other way? HELL NO!

You see, that affectionate nickname is what makes me, ME. It’s what sets me apart from others, it’s what makes me INDIVIDUAL. Something I strive for everyday, INDIVIDUALITY, something we should all strive for! (I believe)

NEVER be ashamed of being unique, be PROUD! Not only does the magical nickname give me individuality, it gives me a touching link to my past and childhood that I deem invaluable! It’s a link that I share with my close friends and something we can all cherish.

So if you don’t have a nickname from your past, I invite you to reminisce and decipher a moment, a memory, an experience or anything that sets you apart from the others. Make sure it’s a positive event (of course) 🙂 Embrace it, relive it, be proud of it and if it involves anybody who may sadly be no longer with us, take a moment to spare a loving thought for them.

If nothing else, that memory, nickname or event should bring a SMILE to your face!

I haven’t stopped smiling throughout sharing this piece of personal history with you! 

Oh and as a quick finishing note, if you have a nickname you may have recently obtained that you may not particularly like at present, try your utmost to embrace it. Because you never know…………………..it could form the very core of who you are in the future………………It certainly has for me, that’s for sure!

Have a very happy and safe weekend and thanks for allowing me to share this piece with you.

“Wolfman”