Emory Louise: September 2013

Hey, hi, hello!

Way back, a long time ago (....okay 3 years ago, so not that long ago), in 2010, I was going through a lot of massive changes in my life. In June I graduated from high school and would soon be off to Purdue University for my freshman year of college. Looking back, I had a pretty perfect set up: I was living in an apartment style university residence hall, which meant that our room had its own kitchen and bathroom, not to mention a HUGE walk-in closet, and my roommate was my best friend from high school. I absolutely loved living with my best, having freedom to make up my own schedule, getting involved with many campus organizations, enjoying various sporting events, and going to class. One class I really, wholeheartedly loved was choir (...okay, it was technically a class because we didn't receive credit for it.) Our director was amazing and I was singing with some of the most talented people I'd ever met. The first week of choir was intimidating for someone with social anxiety like me, but I loved the atmosphere and energy that I felt being in our rehearsal room. The first rehearsal during the second week of school was especially exciting because the kids who auditioned during the first week of school were there for the first time, joining everyone who had auditioned over the summer.

Before we got started, a girl came up to me and commented on the shirt I happened to be wearing. I had tie-dyed it the week before at an event hosted by my residence hall. This girl said that she lived in the same residence hall and we talked for a bit about where we lived before our director got rehearsal started. Since that day, Angela and I stood next to each other in rehearsal, ate more and more meals together, and learned how similar we were.

Three years ago on September 14, 2010, is when we became friends on Facebook, which why I chose to celebrate our friendship today. We became such fast friends that I quickly forgot what my life was like before she was part of it. Adding her to my list of best friends just felt right and natural like we were destined to meet and be a part of each other's lives. To be honest, it's hard to put my finger on the exact moment I considered Angela to be my friend, she just was one from the start. As the semester went on, we had the chance to spend more time together because of our choir schedule; we ate dinner, went to rehearsal, hung out when we could during breaks, and walked back to our res hall. By the time it was the weekend of the show, we had become so close that our other friends in choir were completely shocked to find out that we just met at the beginning of the school year.

(Minnesota football game, October 2010)

Angela and I roomed together sophomore year, and we weren't already close, living together definitely strengthened our friendship. There were many nights spent staying up late, both because we were studying and having fun. I have been pretty blessed to have had the opportunity to live with two of my best friends and come out on the other side still friends. Ang and I hardly had any problems...I think the only thing that bothered her was my tendency to ignore my alarm in the mornings haha. Due to personal live happenings, I was unable to return to Purdue for the second semester of sophomore year. Having to tell Angela that I would not be back was one of the most difficult Skype conversations I've ever had to make. However, we didn't let that change our friendship; we were constantly in communications: texting, Facebook, Skype, and Twitter. We even continued our habit of sending handwritten letters to each other. In late January, Ang and our friend Ryan came to visit me, and I went to Purdue a couple of times. I'm very proud and extremely thankful that we didn't let anything get in the way or ruin our friendship.

(Snow Day 2012...we should've been doing homework, but we cuddled in sweats and did nothing instead)

Angela has become one of those friends that I can tell anything to and I know that she'll listen, keep my secrets, and give me advice. I also know that no matter how many times I bring up a topic to gush, complain, or worry about, she will listen to me every time. We can be in deep, let-me-pour-my-heart-out-and-cry-because-I'm-so-stressed-out conversation one moment, and in the next we'll be dying of laughter. When something happens, she is the first person I want to tell about it. I trust her opinions on everything from boys I like and clothes I'm contemplating buying to problems I'm having in school and what I should do with my life when I'm older. She is kind, beautiful, generous, wonderful, courageous, strong, full of life, and just all around lovely. I am indescribably thankful to have this amazing girl in my life and know we were meant to become forever friends.

(Football game, September 2012)

In celebration of 3 years of friendship, I have chosen 3 of my favorite memories together :)

On night, while walking home from choir rehearsal, we realized that our coats and gloves were opposite colors and that made us so much more excited than it probably should have. That was also the night we sat and waited for a bus home that never showed up, so instead of being annoyed, we made a little adventure out of the walk home.

During the summer between freshman and sophomore years, Angela came to visit me in my hometown. It was so fun to take her around and show her some of my favorite spots in town. We shopped, watched Harry Potter, and went to the zoo (which was my favorite part....I'm such a sucker for the zoo!)

Last December, I got to see her for the first time since June. My mom and I went to see the Purdue Christmas show and afterwards I waited for my friends to come out. A few days before going down to see her, I went through a few hard days, so having the chance to see Angela and my other friends really lifted my spirits, making me smile and be happy for the first time in a few days. The pictures we have from that day are some of my favorite pictures of us :)