Introduction: New Year, New Me--But Don't Roll Your Eyes Just Yet

If you go to college and don't have at least one breakdown, did you really go college? October of my Fall Semester of 2015, I was a junior on the premed track. While studying for a genetics exam, I suddenly reached my limit and absolutely lost my mind. I very distinctly remember crying in a corner in the common area of my dorm where I was studying at around 3 am because the pressure had become too much. It wasn't just the class, or even being premed. It was that I had lost my way. Not knowing how I would get to my destination was not new to me, but not knowing what my destination would be is not something I was accustomed to.

Ok, I wasn't Kim Kardashian meme-crying. It was a gentle "just rammed by pinkie toe into the side of the dresser but I'm a G so I can't let you see me in pain so imma turn my back real quick" cry. In that moment of weakness, though, I had a slight breakthrough. See, in my mind, I was going to drop my Biology major and go study acting in our school of the arts. It was dramatic and exaggerated in the moment because I was trying to make myself laugh since comedy has always been my coping mechanism. I was a junior, and I knew that switching majors wouldn't be feasible. Still, the thought wasn't as ridiculous as I thought it was. I did recover from this breakdown shortly after, though, because, well, https://vine.co/v/OE1YK9rwlwX ...(Also, I will use however many commas I damn well want to. Sue me.)

Anyway, I mentioned a breakthrough a few sentences ago, so I'll elaborate on that. At my most vulnerable, two things came to my unfiltered mind: make yourself laugh and venture into the arts. Through college, I barely followed those two directives. Sure, I wrote spoken word poems and my Facebook posts were often described as hilarious, gut-busting, iconic, legendary, etc. Of course, I was often the person describing them as such, but mind ya business. The point is that I didn't tap into my creative side as much as I would have like to--as much as I needed to. I dabbled in community service, leadership, social justice, poetry and certainly science, but the actual creative outlet I knew I could use was never fully explored. As a result, those around me always got me wrong. They could never correctly guess at who I was because they would could only use the parts of me I showed to the world. Ok, I heard it when I said it but I'll leave it alone *giggles* So, I would have people would tell me all the things I should be or all the things they can or can't see me as or doing. My path, my journey, and my destination were often incorrectly or incompletely laid down for me. The words to my story were very commonly misspelled.

Thus was born the page "CommonlyMisspelled." It is an attempt to write my story the way I want it written. It is comprised of videos and blog entries which showcase the goings-on in my head. There is no clear theme to the content that will be produced. Videos could be anything. Blog posts could be anything. One thing is clear, though: my intention is to make both you and I laugh through this journey of idea generation--this journey of path clearing and defining.  Of course, I'm not quitting my day job, so no worries there. I'm still a scientist-in-training. But I mean, you have to have a job first before you can quit it, amirite? #PlsHireMe

Most importantly, CommonlyMisspelled. is about making sure y'all finally spell my damn name right.
My name is Biko Malachi McMillan. Get it right and spell it right, dammit.