Over the course of my 20 years here on Earth, I have had the pleasure of knowing and learning from some really incredible women.
Of course, there are tons of amazing women that I have come into contact with, and learn from everyday, but there are a few constants that have been with me as I came into my own, and supported me along life’s craziest turns.
My mom has been the most important woman in my life, for my entire life.
She is of course my mom, and that comes first, but now that I am older, our relationship has morphed into a friendship too.
Now that I am away from home at college, we don’t get to talk as often as we used to, but one of my favorite things when we do get together, is how easy and continuous the conversation is.
I love coming home and staying up until like 1 a.m. talking and catching up with my mom.
She always gives the greatest advice, and even when she doesn’t have an answer, we find one together.
One of my favorite things I have learned from my mom is to adventure.
It started when my brother and I were little, and she was a stay-at-home mom with us, and we would hardly ever just sit at home doing nothing.
We spent our childhood going to different free activities at Michael’s, Home Depot, Lowes, and Regal Theaters.
We learned how to build things, create fun works of art, and how to sneak snacks into a movie theater successfully… a skill that I still use often.
We also went to different museums, and on different day trips to places like Santa Cruz, Yosemite, Monterey, and tons of other places.
She made sure that when she asked my brother and I if we wanted to go somewhere, we said “YES!” before she could even say where we were going.
While it wasn’t always a trip somewhere fun, it was still essential quality time, that I am forever grateful for.
I have recently been thinking a lot about just how much our relationship has evolved over the course of my life.
She and my dad have always shared the mentality that they were raising adults, and enabled my brother and I to make our own decisions, and would offer guidance when we needed it.
To me, my mom is the most remarkable person I’ve met.
She has shown me through her actions that if you put your mind to something, you can achieve it.
I am so thankful that I’ve gotten to grow up with a mom who loves me unconditionally, and who supports me in everything I do.
This year I spoke at a Journalism Mass Communications outreach event on campus, and she drove up from Modesto, CA to cheer me on.
The whole day I had people coming up to me, telling me how sweet my mom was, and how amazing it was that she came to support me.
A few of the people there that day still mention how awesome it was that I got to have her there, and I couldn’t agree more.
I love knowing that without a doubt my mom will always be there for whatever I need, even if I don’t need anything at all.
One of the greatest compliments I have received is that I remind someone of her.
The other woman that has been a constant in my life, is my grandma.
From her, I have gotten to learn about all kinds of wonderful things, and she gave me the greatest dad ever!
My grandma is one incredible lady, and I’m so glad that some of the things I do remind me of her.
Similar to my relationship with my mom, as I’ve grown, my relationship with my grandma has also evolved.
Now, instead of playing games together, like doggy in the window, hide and seek, and monopoly, we get lunch and talk.
Once again, with my grandma, the conversation just flows, and no matter how all over the place it is, there is always something to talk about.
We bond over our passion for women’s rights, sushi, fun doodles, and day-to-day experiences
My favorite thing I have learned from my grandma is to “not let the bastards get you down”.
To me, this means to be yourself and not to let other people tell you how to live your life.
I, similar to my grandma, find joy in doing the little things that make me happy, like carrying around bubbles.
For my grandma, one of my favorite things I remember about her doing something simply because it made her happy, was drawing a little face on her hand, between her thumb and pointer finger to make a little mouth, and making it speak.
Her little hand face was named Lucille, and she made her glorious appearance on a cruise we all took as a family.
My grandma took pictures of Lucille all over the cruise, had funny conversations, and brightened every room she entered.
My whole life, my grandma and my mom showed me how to make my own fun, and find joy in even the smallest of things.
I have really enjoyed getting to have lunch and conversations with my grandma and getting to know what her life was like when she was my age.
It wasn’t always easy, but she always found a way to keep pushing and keep on going, and her resourcefulness is one of the bazillion things I admire about her.
My mom and my grandma are two of the most hard working, empowered, and all-around incredible people I have ever met, and I am so grateful to get to learn from them, and get to have them in my life!
Mom, grandma, I love you.
Who are some of the most important women in your life? Let us know @HerCampusSJSU!