public String extraFront(String str) {
  if (str.length() < 2) {
    return str + str + str;
  }
  else {
    String front = str.substring(0,2);
    return front + front + front;
  }
}

public String extraFront2(String str) {
  int indexStop = Math.min(2,str.length());
  String front = str.substring(0,indexStop);
  return front + front + front;
}