March 2021 — the start of spring, the anniversary of a year of lockdowns, the midmark to a stressful semester with no midterm break.
Yet, along with a month that many people have associated with difficulty, uncertainty and loss came the annual celebration of Women’s History Month and recognition of women across the globe who have overcome odds and struggles to reach their dreams. Not that we shouldn’t celebrate women at all times of the year, but sometimes that little reminder on our calendar can force us to take a step back from our busy lives and reflect on what is important to us.
For me, relationships are what I have always valued and spent time reflecting on. It is the little things that mean the most in life. Therefore, my love and appreciation for the women in my life does not come from huge gestures but from the small memories that stand out in my mind.
I am fortunate enough to be part of the fourth generation of women on my mom’s side of the family with many amazing experiences between my great-grandma, grandma and mom that have shaped me into the person I am today. Black Friday shopping is where it normally goes down for us — when we all wake up before the sun rises, head to McDonald’s for breakfast and try to make sure we don’t forget anyone on our Christmas list. Even though stores opening earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving day are trying to ruin this (someone please explain to me how this makes sense), we won’t let the tradition die. The amount of knowledge and life lessons I have learned from these three is immeasurable, and I look forward to continuing the family traditions when I grow up.
Every Christmas, my grandma on my dad’s side makes the best graham cracker pie. Last year, I tried to learn how to make it, but I will never be able to match how good hers tastes, so I am not sure why I bothered. She is the queen of organization and home crafting — I know I can call her whenever I need anything at all. And as her only granddaughter, I feel pretty special with our relationship, not going to lie.
To the first and last person I talk to every day, my roommate Ellie: I am immensely proud of us for sharing approximately 180 square feet of space together, especially when we live with no air conditioning and sometimes we have 15 alarms go off every morning between the two of us. Good roommates are hard to come by, but finding a roommate that will accept your flaws and not get upset if you leave a pile of clothes on the couch too long is truly a blessing. This is starting to sound a bit like a romance, so I’m going to end it here.
In the past two years, a lot has changed from graduating high school, moving away to college and then, on top of that, dealing with a pandemic where it was difficult to see friends. Through all the ups and downs in life, the girl I have called my best friend since sixth grade, Mary, has never failed to amaze me with her wisdom and thoughtfulness. It’s scary when I feel like you know me better than I know myself, but it’s too late now. Even though we are rarely in the same city these days, I know our bond travels across the state and won’t change. Sometimes you just know when a one-of-a-kind person walks into your life.
I don’t know about you, but lately, life has seemed to be chaotic, and sometimes finding people who accept the chaotic thoughts you have and reciprocate them can be a game changer. To the two girls who have accepted my occasional chaos and have matched it right back — Piper and Quin — you both are gems. Here’s to being halfway through the semester.
And to the guys in my life, I appreciate you, too — that just wasn’t the point of this column.
