My Parents – for being my biggest supporters

Through all my random, momentary endeavors, from all sorts of martial arts to attempting to play multiple instruments, you guys have supported me through it all. You calm me down in my moments of unnecessary distress, and you listen to me through my moments of need. I know that if no one else, I will always have you guys in my corner, and for that, I am eternally thankful for you. 

To my mom, your positivity is contagious. Being around you, one can’t help but be overcome with a sense of happiness and warmth. I love your attempts to implement positivity into our dinners with your cute little affirmation cards. Speaking of, your dinners are to die for. Every time you leave and we are forced to fend for ourselves, I always end up missing you and your cooking. You are a large reason our house is truly a home; thank you for all the warmth you bring to our home.

To my dad, your jokes always brighten my day. Even when our debates would leave me a little frustrated, you always knew how to make me smile at the end of it. Whether it be for advice on big life decisions or just for a movie night in, I can always count on you for being there. Although it feels like forever ago, our aimless car rides together—just you and me—have always been my favorite. I know that I will always have you if I need a reason to just get up and go out. Thank you for making my days a little bit brighter.

Thank you both for being my number one fans.

My brothers – for always being there to listen

Although not by choice, you guys have had front-row seats to all of my probably irrelevant and random drama and inconveniences. Even though in that moment, it may feel like the end of the world to me, you guys have always been my voice of reason. Thank you for always being there and bearing through my dramatics.

To Nathaniel, I admire the way you’re able to come up with such witty remarks so fast. You’re an amazing writer and an even better brother. To me, you have always been like a built-in best friend to me. I’m thankful for how close and comfortable we are able to be with one another. Thank you for never failing to make me happy.

To Rj, I’d first like to thank you for letting me use your student discount to buy stuff—you’re the best for that. However, more than a person to get a student discount off of, you are the greatest listener. You listen through my probably-too-long updates full way through, and during it all you never make me feel like I am saying too much. Thank you for always being my listening ear.

Noah Gonzalez – for being my home away from home

Even though you are nowhere close to me, it never feels like you’re very far. Although there are moments when our lives become busy and convoluted, I know that you will always make time for me. With you, it feels like I never run out of things to say; never am I left searching for a reason to talk to you or for a topic to talk about. You tolerate all my bad dad jokes—even the ones I may tell a few too many times—and your cheesy lines never fail to make me smile. You laugh along with me at all my mistakes and you smile alongside me for all my accomplishments. When I’m with you, everything seems to come naturally. You love everything and everyone so passionately and you put effort into everything you do. I admire you in every sense of the word.

Thank you for all you have done for me—for letting me be me.

Emalea Rooke – for letting me take you anywhere and everywhere

I don’t remember how it happened, but one day last year, you just started showing up at my house every day, and ever since then you have become one of my best friends. All of our random brunch dates and hours spent laying down on whatever surface and talking about life have become my favorite. Even if we are simply sitting in silence, I never cease to find enjoyment with you. You are thoughtful, you are considerate, and you are compassionate—you are all the things I aspire to be. You push me to think of and grow in areas I otherwise would not have. 

Thank you for all the adventures we’ve been through and for all the ones we are bound to make.

Noah Burke – for showing up

I remember the first time I met you; at the time, I had honestly thought it was the strangest first interaction I’d had with someone, but now, I’m forever grateful for it. You always show up: through all the events I drag you to that I know you’d rather not be at, through some of my best moments, and through some of my worst. Through it all, you have never ceased to make me laugh. Even in the moments when it seems impossible to laugh, you always seem to find a way to make me laugh—to make everyone in the room laugh. So, whether it’s because I need a friend to talk to or a friend to drag along with me, I know I can count on you to be that friend for me.

Thank you for being there for me in every moment that I needed it—for being there when it counts.

Katy Dykstra – for braiding my hair every day

Every day, I walk out of our third-hour class with the most beautiful braid plaited in my hair, and it is all thanks to you. Within the last year, you and I have gotten to know each other so much more, and I am so happy that we have. All the moments we spend together in class never fail to be a fun one. I am so thankful for all of our lunches together with Alexa because I know that, with you both, I will always have a place at that table. 

Thank you for being a person I’m happy to call my friend.

Asila Sabouri – for never failing to surprise me

You are literally the medical version of those teenagers who make a billion-dollar business just to get into college. I cannot highlight enough how much you amaze me; I will always be one of your biggest fans in everything that you do, just as I know you are for me. You are stacked to the brim with extracurricular activities and school work, and yet, you never fail to call me when something dramatic happens to you. Whether it be at midnight or some other ungodly hour of the night, our late-night calls are always some of my favorites. 

Thank you for all our random calls and for always keeping me on my toes.

Hima Rueff – for our monthly check-ups

Even though we may not talk as much as we used to, in the moments when we do get to catch up, it is as if we had never stopped talking. I know that you are always there for me when I need an unbiased and disconnected opinion on something. I remember over the pandemic we would spend hours and hours on the phone: talking together, sitting together doing nothing, just being together. Although there may be some distance between the two of us, it has never left us too far apart. You are genuinely one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Thank you for always being one of my best friends.

Thank you for always keeping me company—silence or no silence.

Anastasia Placanica – for our basically-weekly movie nights

I have known you for an eternity and a half but, still, it doesn’t feel like it. Every weekend since who knows when you have been coming over to my house to watch movies while gossiping with me; getting and giving updates to you has never been something I’ve grown tired of. Even on the weeks when nothing new has happened, just sitting with you while doing nothing is a part of our routine I have grown to be fond of. You have seen my room at its worst state and have never seemed to care—which is saying a lot because my room can get really bad at times. You have always been a large component of my life.

Thank you for never judging me, for my actions, or my room.

TCT – for helping me grow

I have been with you guys for about two years now, which seems so crazy to me. I am so thankful for having met you all. Because I met you guys, I have grown: as a person, as a writer, and as a friend. I have found people that I love being around in all of you guys.

Thank you for being a class I can always look forward to.