Blog 16: Me!

I can’t believe this is my last blog of the series. I have had so much fun reflecting on all the people who have made me who I am. If you’ve been keeping up, you know that this series is dedicated to selecting a new person for each blog who has impacted me. When I first heard about the blogging assignment for class and how it should represent our brand, the only thing that came to my mind was everyone I know.

For fifteen blogs, I have talked about some of the most important and influential people in my life because I truly believe I am a mosaic of everyone that I love. But, I also know that I am uniquely my own person. So, in this blog, I’m going to be a little selfish and talk about me!

Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Emmalie Hannah House. My mom made up the spelling of my first name because she wanted “Emma” to be in my name since she knew I would be called Emma. Growing up, I was shy, awkward, and not even close to the full version of myself. Eventually, I learned how to be me. At some point, I became extremely sentimental. This meant keeping things that don’t really need to be kept. One of the first things I remember saving was a receipt for three gold rings from PacSun. It was from the first time I really hung out with my boy best friend in high school, who I eventually developed the biggest crush on (spoiler: it didn’t work out). I find myself wary of change because of the grief of my father. By this, I mean I worry that if I change or get rid of something, I might regret it in the future if I face another loss.

When I think about the things I’m scared to let go of, I think about how the heart-chain permanent bracelet I got when I was with my ex is still on my wrist. It hasn’t left since the day I got it. And then there’s the broken watch—the one the football player I was hanging out with once changed to 10:45 p.m. just to prove he could read an analog clock. I still carry both with me. I could easily change the time on my watch or even get it fixed, but I haven’t. Maybe it’s because part of me likes that they haven’t changed, even when so much else in my life has. These might seem like little things, and they mostly are, but sometimes I wonder if I am too sentimental about objects and whether these memories will follow me for a lifetime.

I like to think that I am the friend who remembers—almost everything about the people I love, or at least I try to. From knowing their go-to coffee order to their favorite song so I can play it in the car, I hope my friends know that I am always taking note of these pieces of them. I think one of the reasons I try to be so intentional with memories and my friendships is because I know what it’s like for someone to forget something that meant a lot to you.

Another big part of who I am is my independence. When my dad got sick, my mom was back and forth from Duke Hospital. My older brother, who was only in high school, was left to look after me. I knew at that point that I couldn’t be another burden to anyone. My entire family was stressed, so my twelve-year-old problems seemed minuscule. The habit of being hyper-independent has followed me throughout my life. It has its pros and cons. I definitely think it pushed me in so many ways academically and professionally. Alternatively, when I do need help, I have trouble admitting it. But my friends and family have a way of noticing when I need it, even if I don’t say it.

I think these little quirks are what make me who I am. Over the years, I have noticed how my friends and family have helped shape me. But what has stood out are the things that I didn’t learn from anyone.

After reading this, you might believe I am so confident in who I am today. And I am—but I am also not naive. I used to think I knew exactly who I was when I was twelve, and then my entire life changed. When my dad died, I had to reconceptualize and reprocess who I was in a world where he no longer existed. Then, by the time I figured out who I was, I had to present myself to my mom’s boyfriends. It was almost like I had a chance to be a different person with every boyfriend I met. Then, when freshman year of college came, I had the opportunity to redesign my personality. A new place meant I got to start over.

I find comfort in knowing that I don’t have to be just one version of myself. That if I don’t like an aspect of my personality, I can change it and learn how to improve. Seeing how I have changed has been evident in many ways. But one way I noticed recently was on Friday, March 21, 2025. My brother got married, and one of the first songs the DJ played was “My Girl” by The Temptations—my dad’s favorite song. I don’t think this song was requested; more likely, it was an act of my dad making sure we knew he was there. In that moment, I wasn’t consumed by sadness. Instead, I felt the need to grab my baby cousin’s hands and dance like my dad would’ve wanted. Even just a year or so ago, hearing this song wouldn’t have led to that reaction. It’s moments like these where I can truly feel how much I have grown.

Just before the wedding, on March 17, 2025, I turned 21 years old. I was surrounded by my best friends—people who care so deeply about me. In 21 years, I have changed so much, which is natural. But I think some of the events and people in my life influenced this change greatly. So, I’m writing this today to introduce you to a little piece of who I am—because I can’t promise this is how I will always be. I might meet someone tomorrow who makes me question every perspective I have or who shows me a new part of myself. But I can promise you that whoever I become will be great and that I will be authentically me.

So, that’s just a little bit about who I am—Emma House.