The Atlanta Period
2008-2012
My first visit to Atlanta was magical.
I was in high school and had accompanied my mom and step-dad to Little Five Points. We sat outside Little Five Pizza and people watched as we ate our lunch. I should note, that I was known at Central for dressing very strangely. People thought I did it for attention, to me it was simply self-expression. I knew khakis and polos were not me, but I didn’t know what was. So I raided Goodwills and created funky ensembles, trying to discover my style. One day might be neon parachute pants and a mohawk, the next would be a black and white, checkered tweed pencil skirt suit and red lipstick. Fashion was fun and I knew I was strange no matter what I wore.
So there I was in Little Five Points, in the eye of a funky style hurricane. I was in shock, overwhelmed at how many strange people there were. This might have been the first time in my life I felt kindred with a culture. There was no ambiguity: I belonged in Atlanta.
My four years there can be summed up in one word: discovery.
Breaking out of my sheltered upbringing, I discovered music, films, fashion. DJing for WRAS-Atlanta might have been the most fun part of my college days. Music of all kinds flooded my life. Friends and I would go to shows at the Masquerade or the Tabernacle as much as possible. Adopting my radio name, Elle Belle, I went blonde and embarked on a journey of self-discovery.
The most meaningful thing that came out of my time in Atlanta, besides a degree in economics and life-long friendships (of course), is my music. My brother lent me his guitar, ultimately giving it to me, and I began to teach myself. Playing an hour a day, chord by chord I learned the easiest songs I could find and eventually started writing my own. Open mic nights at Java Monkey were as brave as I would get, but I loved every minute of it.
Being the first in my family to attend college, it was certainly challenging to navigate. Despite working as much as I could while also taking a full course load, I still ended up eating ramen and hand washing laundry sometimes. But I was making friends, good grades (most of the time), exploring the city, and falling in love with music… the struggles were worth it.
Even now, Atlanta holds a special place in my life and I will never not love hopping on the MARTA to explore the magic of the city.