November 16, 2015

This Kid I Know: Lisette (Year 2)

When you share an apartment with someone, you two form a special connection. You get a unique perspective on a person that no one else (except for family) gets to experience.

With apartment life comes complete independence of your space and control of your oWN KITCHEN. You care for your living room, you share your bathroom, and along the way, you learn each other’s little habits.

We walk around barefoot everyday on the same floors, step out of the same shower, read on the same couch, and live out so much of our lives in this space. We sleep and eat here. That’s like 80% of my life. We share the same fridge – and there’s nothing more intimate than that.

Though our schedules do not align often, catching up feels like picking right back up where we left off.

I know you’ve probably learned so much about me from living with me. Well, I’ve learned so much about you as well.

I know to just stop responding when you mutter and exclaim to yourself. I know that there’s almost always going to be leftover pasta in the fridge, and a reminder to RALLY on the fridge.

You know that I leave my shit out all over the place, that I’m always banging around the kitchen at midnight, that I don’t know how to wash dishes, and that I consistently blast weird tropical music from my room, but you put up with all of my weird habits.

There have been many a time when we just sit and talk for a while in the kitchen or the living room, eating chocolate ice cream, or pie together. I remember a Friday night at 2:30 AM we were exchanging deep thoughts and hugs, snacking on butternut squash ravioli. I loved that night because it brought out your frankness.

It’s one of your best qualities. You’re unafraid to speak your opinion and you don’t sugar coat anything. You’re ingrained in reality. I need more people like you in my life.

Lastly, you’ve been so hard at work this year. I admire you so much for that and feel inspired by your dedication. I’m SO PROUD OF YOU, you strong-willed, intelligent, far-seeing, resolute, empathetic human being.

Lisette, you make this house a home. The meerkats make me puff with pride. We’ve fought battles together, you and I. The battle against the water puddles. The battle against the smelly trash can. The battle against PAYING $3 FOR LAUNDRY.

We’ve gone through so much over the past year or so. I can’t believe just a little over a year ago we were at Refresh choreography sessions and going downtown to Millenium Park for like the 3rd time for NU in Chicago. I’m unbelievably psyched to follow through with traditions (Chriskindlmarket, ice skating and CHUBBY BUNNY OMFG) and to go on more adventures with you this year, whether they are in downtown Chicago, the suburbs of Atlanta, or in our little abode at college.

I love you, happy birthday.