My full name is Stefanie Lutz. Just Stefanie. Lutz. I was born with no middle name. I never had any problems with that (besides the middle initial line on forms), until middle school. On our gym shorts was a blank box where we were supposed to write our first initial and our last name. I didn’t realize the problem until half way through the semester: slutz. It followed me to high school as my username. I couldn’t escape Slutz.

I left the nickname behind when I moved to college. Virginia Commonwealth University, being the wonderfully smart college it is, puts your last name first and your first initial last. But four years was all the luck I had.

I arrived on my second day at the Richmond Times Dispatch bright eyed and bushy tailed. But then we were given our username and email. And now, in my first job as a working adult, I have been once again branded slutz.