How did you two meet? 

That’s the most common question that Natalie and I get whenever we’re together. 

Why do people always ask us that? People ONLY ask me that when I’m with you! wails Natalie.

Well. :) Natalie and I became Facebook friends and then she messaged me because she thought my blog was interesting. See? Great things – friendships even! – come from maintaining a blog.

But the Natalie I met on Facebook is very different than the person that I know now, or even the Natalie I met the very first time we encountered each other at college. But most people are that way.

Yesterday, I scrolled back to our very conversation, and was astounded by how much more detailed our discussions have become since then, but also at how similar they still are. They often consist of us asking each other straightforward questions and then one of us expounding on our opinion, while the other listens.

We have very few mutual friends, but a mutual love of food and cats, as well as similar views about friendship, family, classes, and our personal wellbeing; most of our time spent together is spent one-on-one, my preferred method of interaction.

However, unlike me, Natalie is always looking to meet new people, and she’s also pretty good at it, always asking for names and exchanging numbers.

At the same time, she’s also able to appreciate silence. In fact, we’ve had a nearly wordless dinner in which we tried to evaluate a restaurant! That was one of the most interesting experiences I’ve ever had. Much of the conversation was aimed at trying to articulate the tastes on our tongues into words.

She interests me to the point that my first interview on this blog was her detailing her experience as an INTERNATIONAL STUDENT, but that was also an opportunity to learn new things about her that I hadn’t realized before.

For a southerner who has recently moved to Chicago, I struggle to reach the other side of campus without a legitimate excuse like, “I haven’t been to class all week and there’s a test coming up,” or “it’s taco day on South campus” or “you have received a package.” It’s a trip that I have to plan out, and it makes seeing Natalie difficult on a daily basis. But I’m familiar with long-distance relationships and I will always make sure to see her at least a few times every week.

We have established a two-person table at our bubble tea shop reserved solely for us, where we will sit after I’ve bought a cup and she will have a sip or two but nothing more, and we commonly visit CVS after our bubble tea date because everyone is always needing something from CVS.

She’s always like, “Do you want to buy this? You were interested in it last time (yesterday) we were here.”

But at the end of the day, my absolute favorite thing about being friends with Natalie is the conversations that we have, which take place whenever we walk somewhere or sit down to a meal.

THEY ARE SO DEEP AND DOWN TO EARTH THAT THEY DRILL THEIR WAY TO CHINA.

Natalie and I are both analyzers, and together, we analyze the shit out of our lives. Fears. Insecurities. Conformity.

You name it, we’ve analyzed and picked the issue apart. She can sense when something is wrong or I’m just having a shit day, and because of this, I feel comfortable opening myself up completely to her.

I don’t know what I’d do without you. Stay amazing. Happy birthday!

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