To TCT, for the best part of my everyday

I hold a special place in my heart for every one of you. The smiles, laughter, jokes, and energy that emanate from this space every day are my most cherished memories. The love and sense of community created by a group of people are truly amazing in countless ways. You are my people, my essence, my tribe, my heart, and my fondest dreams.

To Mom, for the fights you won for me

I am grateful for your constant love and support, which helped me through the toughest moments. You demonstrate resilience, strength, and courage to me every day. You are my role model and biggest supporter in everything I do. Thank you for being there for me always. I hope someday I’ll be there for someone in the same way.

To Dad, for the laughs I needed

I am grateful for your unwavering faith in me, even when I doubted myself. You have been a constant source of support and have played a pivotal role in shaping who I am today. As the first reliable and trustworthy male figure in my life, I can’t express how much you mean to me. Our conversations about past and possible future adventures are priceless to me. I await the day when I get to walk down the aisle with you toward someone who treats me as well as you believe I deserve.

To Bettye, for being my partner in crime

Sisters are for life; you’re stuck with me until we’re ancient, gray, wrinkled, and senile. I love you to the moon and back. You are a luminous sunbeam in my life. Your laughter and jokes are like rainbows and consistently bring a smile to my face. I hope to always have you in my life, supporting me in all endeavors. I know you will always defend my honor, and I will do the same for you. I love you, always and forever. 

To Eliana Billger, for the escape and the memories

Thank you for the all-nighters we pulled off, for the exhaustion we felt after biking to Frosty Boy in the sweltering sun, for the mornings spent watching YouTube videos, for the cuddles we shared during the Dahmer documentary and The Conjuring, for the dinners with your family where I was treated like one of their own, and for the sore throats we got from screaming at dances, football games, and your brother’s events. I love you like family, and I hate you like family too.  I am forever your ride or die.

To Hannah Wisner, for the daydreams and cackles

Whether we’re mourning the fact that we’re still single, ranting about the guys we like, dancing to “our song”, or doing anything else together, I can’t help but laugh when I’m with you. Thank you for trying to explain sports to me even though we both know I’ll never understand it and for tolerating my incessant talking and political rants. You are an irreplaceable presence in my life. I love how caring you are and how you put the people important to you first.

To Isaak Gonzalez, for the food, drinks, and friendship 

I love everything about you, you have a lovely personality and a giving heart. Thank you for being so kind and open to me, my craziness, and my problems. You have the best style and the funniest jokes.  Thank you for taking care of me and my silly emotions. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures and I can’t wait to cause mischief with you in the future. I love you even more than the food you give me.

To Life, for turning me into myself

Shattering both barriers and molds is vital for individual blossoming. The struggles and hardships I face every day helped me become the empathetic and bright young woman that I am today. Without experiences of pain and discomfort, I would be a hollow shell instead of a person. The lessons from each encounter shape and strengthen me, providing me with battle-ready armor and impenetrable walls around my mind and feelings. I live each day grateful for the efforts I must make to succeed.