Happy Women’s History Month! March is a special time to acknowledge the history of what womanhood means to people and the stories of women in the past who paved the way for our present. A lot comes with being a woman, and while I haven’t had the privilege to get to know some of the most revolutionary women in history, I have had the pleasure of getting to know the wonderful women in my life who have helped shape me into who I am. In honor of this special month, I took the time to reflect on how the women in my life have impacted me, and our time spent together.
The first role model in my life
For most girls and women, their mom or mother figure in their life is arguably one of their greatest influences, or at least that is how it is for me. Ever since I was a little girl my mom has been by my side helping me through pretty much everything. She is the person I credit a lot of my personality and interests to. My love of color, my kindness, empathy, and care for others, my knowledge of makeup and self-care, and most importantly my strength. I’ve loved growing up alongside her, and I owe her everything. She is the person I turn to for almost everything, and her wisdom and experience growing up as a girl and becoming a woman have been so valuable to me. My friends always joke about how they love my mom more than me because of how amazing she is and how much she cares for them. Her personality lights up any room she walks into and she never hesitates to make friends with a stranger. I truly admire her.
Friends: Past, Present, and Future
I have had the pleasure of having multiple 10+ year friendships in my life, which I know is not something many people can say. My friends and I have truly experienced girlhood and womanhood together, and it has been so special. The saying that goes “you are who you associate with” rings true for me. Oftentimes I feel like we are the same person, just different fonts. We spent our youth playing foursquare, wiffle ball, card games, making Video Stars and iMovies, and playing with American Girl Dolls, Barbies, crackle/sparkly nail polish, Silly Bandz, and fake makeup kits. We got our driver’s licenses, experienced our first romantic relationships, heartbreak, loss, happiness, high school graduation, and 13 years of school together (with plenty of crazy stories to prove it)! My friends who have grown up alongside me have truly shaped the person I am today, and they make me feel so loved. I know I can always count on them, and they have my back like no other. They are beautiful, funny, kind, smart, and most importantly: unique. There is nobody quite like them. I couldn’t picture a life without them in it, and I look forward to many more years full of love and fun together.
College is the first moment in many young adult’s lives in which they get their first real taste of freedom and independence. I am no exception. Coming to UMass was exciting, but also scary at first. There were so many things I was nervous about when coming to school, and making friends was probably at the top of my list. I wondered if I’d ever meet people as wonderful as my friends from back home whom I’ve known all my life. I can now confidently say, I have. The girls I’ve met since being at school have been with me through some of the weirdest, most exciting, and craziest moments of my life. I have learned so much from them, and every day we tackle our newfound sense of freedom and “adulthood” together. College and the culture here bring about a whirlwind of new experiences, everything from class to parties to relationships to pretty much taking care of yourself in every aspect, and all of these are things I’m thankful I haven’t done alone. My girls at school make me laugh until I cry, they pick me up when I’m down, and most importantly they will always get dessert with me after dinner ;) I truly feel so loved and cared for by my friends here at school. They are patient, kind-hearted, hilarious, intelligent, brave, ambitious, beautiful inside and out, and I owe a lot to them. We always have fun together, and they are the reason I have come to love college and my time here at UMass.
Being a woman is powerful, it’s cool, it’s fun, and sharing that experience with others has probably been my favorite part. I love being a woman, and every day I’m thankful I have such wonderful women in my life. No single thing defines womanhood because all of our experiences are so different. The women in my life have molded me into the person I am today, and that is something I am eternally grateful for. I can’t wait to continue my journey with them by my side, and I have no doubt they will accomplish amazing things, and leave a remarkable impact on those around them, just as they have me.
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