Ginger red hair is the rarest hair color in the world. Only about 1 – 2% of the population has red hair. Similar to red hair, genuine friends are also hard to find. Helping me maneuver the scary world of high school, I have made friendships that define my teenage years. Authentic friends do not come mass-produced. They are hard to find and easy to skip.
Therefore, some of the rarest enigmas in the world are ginger friends. At Westmont, I am lucky enough to stumble upon my own set of these rare creatures. My carrot-topped comrades have helped me through thick and thin, constantly raising the bar for good humans everywhere.
I met Lily Bourne during field hockey in my sophomore year. Cut from the same cloth, a friendship quickly developed through snarky remarks, never-ending rants, and sarcastic comments. Lily and I can talk about anything for hours on end. Standing in the outfield, we conversed about the meaning of life, softball shenanigans (of which there were plenty), and our shared negativity for…everything. I swear, sometimes we think the same thoughts. My friendship with Lily cannot be complete without the inclusion of our time in Journalism. Together, we shotgun Red Bulls, run sprints around the school, badger people with microphones, and drive Andy Evans insane (lovingly of course). With Lily, busy work usually ends in laughing fits, as the most tedious of tasks are suddenly opportunities for fun. I can’t imagine my high school experience without the friendship of Lily Bourne.
Sana Sharma is someone I look up to. Together, we spend countless hours in John Shieh’s AP Statistics class sharing observations, jokes and definitely getting work done. A purely beneficial friendship, we celebrate each other’s successes as if they were our own. Sana is my favorite person to go to for advice. Never afraid to put me in my place, they are sometimes the only person that tells me what I don’t want to hear. When we aren’t diligently learning the wonders of statistics, Sana and I ogle over The Beatles, a funny video of a baby falling down a slide, and plants. Seeing Sana’s relationship with their friends and girlfriend, I am often reminded of the importance of expressing appreciation for my own loved ones. However, Sana breaks all laws of nature in their humility. They are twice as accomplished as I will ever be, while half as pretentious. Their lack of an ego must have destroyed at least one scientific principle. While Sana might be the definition of tough love, there is one thing I’ve learned from them, being tough is very important.
I don’t remember when I met Keira De Vita, but I’m glad I did. Nothing is better than watching Keira light up when talking about the latest Taylor Swift album or the genius of the Hercules soundtrack. As someone with an apparent lack of a work ethic, I am especially appreciative of Keira’s never ending resilience. When met with struggle, the thought of giving up never enters her mind. To Keira, there is always a way out. Although facing the tumultuous trials of Christopher Mock’s APUSH class, she has hope and persistence that must be protected at all costs. Entering any classroom, Keira shines on the outside as much as she does on the inside. She always dresses to impress. Through methodical taste and a fashion sense beyond me, she often out-dresses everyone in the room. However, I am especially appreciative of Keira’s status as a licensed driver. There is no better form of happiness than screaming Hamilton lyrics in the parking lot of a Taco Bell with my best friends. Always eye-catching and aspiring, Keira De Vita glows.