Partners in Crime

Judging by the title you probably already know what this blog post is about and I know, I know: all I talk about is how inspirational, amazing, perfect, and beautiful these two young ladies are and I'm sorry if I've become annoying at this point, but I'm going to post this anyway because I love them so much. I could NEVER imagine my life without them: they've made such a lasting impact in my life that the more I think about them the more emotional I become as I think that they will be leaving me for college soon. They both accepted me as their own when I joined their team in 10th grade for TEDx and although at first I wasn't very close to them, by the end of 10th grade and definitely in 11th, I never felt any closer to anybody else. They never cease to amaze me and I admire them so much for their tenacity and the way they prioritize. Something I always believed was that people are first, whether I have a test or a class to go to, I will not study or walk away until I know that everything is okay because above all, my priority is people. Until 10th grade I hadn't met many people who could say the same and sacrifice their grade or their attendance or their own priorities for the well-being of someone else, but when I met Raji & Michelle I saw a type of overflowing compassion, kindness, and grace that I hadn't seen in many.

Michelle W. has the most amazing dedication and passion that I've ever seen as she tirelessly works on the tasks that she sees in front of her. She'll work until I can see panda circles under her eyes and until she's so tired that she doesn't remember what she said in the last 2 seconds. When I met her in 10th grade I didn't think much of it - she was someone that Ms. Bryson had asked me to work with so that TEDxWhitneyHigh would happen. But as the year went by and TEDxWhitneyHigh ended, our friendship still remained and strengthened with time. I didn't realize it at the time, but she was purposely meant to be in my life: in my most nervewracking moments, she's there to help combat my insecurities and my hesitations with her words of wisdom and of encouragement. Honestly, I can't imagine my life without her bubbliness and her odd noises; she's affected my life in ways that she and I can't imagine and I'm ever so grateful for her.

Raji G. is an exceptional human being with the weirdest thoughts, ideas, and opinions but that's precisely what makes her so exceptional. She has the most unique and hilarious ideas that I've ever heard and I can't express how thankful I am for her listening to me whenever I had something on my mind. Without her in my life, I don't know if I would have laughed as much as I did. She's constantly bringing perspective in to my life and creating a new lense that I otherwise never would have thought of. When I met her in 10th grade alongside Michelle I was honestly very apathetic because I thought the three of us would work with each other but that that would be it. How could I confide myself in seniors who I barely knew? How could I open up my deepest, darkest emotions that I'd be ashamed to let anyone know at all? But as the year went on and I relied on them heavily and they relied on me, there formed an irreplaceable trust that bonded us closer together and made me realize that they were utterly valuable to me.

I've made countless posts on my opinion of them and I don't think I can stress enough how important these two are to me. I couldn't imagine anything I wouldn't do for them if it meant keeping them in my life because they are that vital to me, my existence, and my experience. When I ask them if they can stay one more year in Whitney and if I can go to college with them, I mean it: it's not a joke. I know they pragmatically never would be able to because they need to move on from high school and do amazing, life changing things in college but that's how much I care about them: they are a part of me. They each make up a substantial piece of me and for their support, love, and caring I cannot thank them enough.