Above is my name written in runes. My name is Taylor Rebne. My first name originates from someone who was a tailor, but my parents named me Taylor because in 1999 when I was born, Taylor was more so a boy name. They wanted my name to be different and unique. (But it was a bit of a blow to my parent's creative abilities when I had two other girls named Taylor in my preschool class.) My last name, Rebne, is a family name and comes from my dad's Norwegian family background. Aside from my family members, I have never met anyone with the same last name as me. I have also looked up my last name and no one else has it. Personally, I do not find much meaning in my first name because I just see it as a name and it is does not define me. But I do cherish my last name. I feel as though my last name defines me. Since last names are the same throughout most families, you can label yourself with those whom share the same last name. In my case, my family and I share the same last name so I am connected to them and others associate me with them. I have been raised with the mindset that family is forever and having the same last name as my family makes me feel even more bonded with my family. In addition, I have grown up with really good parents who have made a name for themselves throughout their lives and since I share their name, I have always tried to make them proud and not bring down the respect of the family name. Since I am a female I should change my name after marriage, but I really like my last name because it is unique and meaningful, so it will be a tough decision when the time comes. A nickname that I have adopted is TayReb. In middle school my friends started calling me it and it stuck. Recently I have also been called "It's Taylorrrrrrr" but that it a story for another time and its background is a bit embarrassing! Thank you Calculus!
This year on the volleyball team I have experienced times when I have been "two". The two "me's" that I experience include the me who is the individual and the me who is a part of the whole team. Being an individual and, at the same time, a part of a team poses a dilemma because volleyball is a team sport but in order for the team to succeed, individuals have to do well. As the captain of the team, I am not just responsible for myself, but also the team as a whole. It is hard to hold myself accountable as an individual and also be responsible for keeping my team mates accountable because we all have different levels of accountability. As an individual I strive to always push myself harder and be better. But as a part of team it is hard for me to grasp the fact that not everyone wants to be better and push themselves. But being a part of a larger whole has given me many things I cannot obtain just as an individual. For example, I have gained many new friendships and grown my leadership skills. A dilemma of being "two" is that both do not always have the same goal. When I say this I mean that as an individual, I set goals for myself but as a part of the volleyball team, we set more team oriented goals that focus on what the team as a whole can accomplish rather than each of us individually.
