Undergraduate / Introduce Yourself to Penn - TaCo Nickname [10]

Penn. Our aim is to better understand how your identity, talents, and background guide your day-to-day experiences.

TaCo. That's my nickname. Sure, it's a cute abbreviation of Ta(lia) Co(hen). But come on, who wants to be called a Mexican food dish?

Well, I do. Growing up at a Jewish school, Talia was one of the most popular names. It's pretty, it's meaning is beautiful, and to those who weren't raised Jewish, it's original. However, when I am one of five Talias in a class of fewer than 100, the name can be frustrating. Soon, I stopped turning around. Sure, it could be me, but the chances were just 1/5. Plus, I knew that if it was indeed me then my friends would say "Talia! T-A-L-I-A C-O-H-E-N."

Then, one fateful day, the ingenuity of my nickname, TaCo, was discovered. Soon, I was no longer one Talia in the crowd. Rather, I was the distinctive TaCo.

My name helped me realize, it is okay to stand out. I use to feel that my talents were only for my own benefit. I didn't want to brag or seem conceited. However, with the discovering of TaCo I have started to display my strengths on a regular basis. I have volunteered for numerous musical performances and have enthusiastically offered to read my creative writing in class.

Who new that some meat and a shell would be the source of a new me?