Panda is a nickname that I've had since I could remember. I always enjoyed the name, giving me that joy of someone important. I would say it's an out-of-ordinary nickname that most people haven't heard or haven’t even thought could be a name. When most people do hear it for the first time, they take a double take and have to comprehend if they heard that right. I love that though because the name might give a smile or a little laugh for the first time.

The name Panda feels so loving, joyful, and easy. When people hear it or say it and it gives them a little smile or makes their day a little brighter, that's all I'm looking for. Hearing all the stories from my friends from when they first heard it is always amusing because everyone has had a similar story but also so different so it's super unique to hear all of them.

The nickname originates from the 1939 cartoon “Andy Panda Bear.” My real name is Andrew, but we cut Andrew to Andy which I also like because there's a lot less Andy’s than Andrew’s. So, the nickname was in the title, so it just stuck with the family until my family started calling me that at sporting events when I was young. The coaches overheard, so they started yelling it during games, practices, and just in general. My teammates heard and started calling me it and it was just a snowball effect. I call myself Andy because I think it's a little weird to refer to myself by my nickname. But having someone call me by my nickname gives me an excitement because they have known me for a long time, and I know it's going to be one of my close friends.