As a graduating senior in the midst of this pandemic, I’ve been reflecting on my time at Florida State University. I’ve been thinking about all of the memories I’ve created and the fun times I’ve had in the short time span of two years. I recently came to a realization that amongst all the people in my college career that have come and gone, one person has stuck by my side, no matter what. A person I didn’t meet in a way that would sound amazing to others but will always be amazing to me. I was lucky enough to sit by her on the first day of our Public Speaking course and she was louder than I was, which is saying A LOT. I was shaken up because I had just received news that my dog needed to be put down (this is not supposed to be depressing, I promise). She could see my sadness and didn’t flinch before straight up hugging me without bothering to ask. I can barely build up enough courage to tell a Starbucks employee that my drink order is wrong, let alone hug a stranger. From that point on, she pushed me to be the greatest version of myself and became my best friend along the way. It would be selfish of me not to share her with the world, which I think everyone should have a chance to know a little bit about Miranda Torres.
Miranda was born and raised in Miami, and she’s Cuban! This means that she constantly feeds me amazing food and keeps me in check when it comes to my Spanish course…no bueno. The commute from Miami to Tallahassee is a good eight hours (six hours Miranda time) which made me wonder why she chose to move her life to FSU. When I asked her, she said, “I didn’t have any particular school in mind when I was applying. I didn’t have a ‘dream school’ or anything of the sorts, I just knew I wanted to go to school somewhere that felt like home. After visiting FSU and seeing how beautiful the campus was, I knew I would be right at home here.” I thank God that she chose FSU because if she didn’t, I would spend my Friday nights drinking White Claws in the shower…that’s strictly for Monday nights.
From her first day as an undergrad at FSU to her last, Miranda has worked incredibly hard. From basically running Dance Marathon to working at multiple PR firms to starting her master’s degree, while finishing her bachelor’s, I have deemed Miranda Queen of FSU. With everything she’s done, it was hard for her to choose just one favorite memory. But when she did, she said, “I always get emotional for some reason while doing the war chant (blame it on me being a cancer), but there’s no better feeling than standing in Doak wearing garnet & gold and screaming the chant while doing the chop. Either that or total reveal during DM 2020. That was life-changing.”
I could tell you every detail about Miranda’s life, but I think the most life-changing (literally) thing she has been involved with is Dance Marathon. She was recently named head Marketing and Publicity Executive and has poured her heart and soul into this incredible cause. She told me that, “being a dancer all my life and always prioritizing community service, I knew I wanted to do Dance Marathon when I got to college. I vaguely knew what it was, so I joined freshman year and hoped for the best. Little did I know that I would leave total reveal that weekend with a completely new mindset and a newfound passion for this organization. I have never been a part of something that has left me feeling so impassioned and so hopeful for the future. Dance Marathon not only changes the lives of the miracle kids and family, but also those students who participate every year, including me. I can’t ever thank this organization enough for opening my eyes and heart to all the amazing miracles that can be made in the Civic Center basement during a forty-hour weekend.” With that being said, don’t run from the people asking for DM donations on campus. We all know you have a dollar in your Venmo account so just do it, ok?
Miranda and I have been Quarantine buddies during this time, and she always keeps my spirits high. We’re both sad about how our senior year has ended, but Miranda is definitely making the best of this situation. “I do my home-workouts, I make Pinterest recipes and I read a lot. I roll with the punches, and I’ve been making the most of it. I’m thankful for the extra time to re-watch Gilmore Girls for the third time (sorry not sorry) and to focus on the people and things I love most.” It’s me, she’s focusing on me.
After writing this article, I miss her so I’m going to go and call her now, but I’ll leave you with what her biggest lesson throughout college has been. She told me, “No matter how successful you are or how low your lows are, call your family. They’re my biggest fans, and I can’t thank them enough.”
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