Friday, August 6, 2010

a firmer foundation

So I guess this will be the Hollz edition of Keek and Hollz life. (I also don’t know why we’ve always said Keek first, but it does sound more aesthetically pleasing so I’m okay with that.) So here goes. NOTE: I haven’t read Keek’s version so it’ll be interesting to see the similarities/differences in our stories. Guaranteed mine has more holes.
Eight years ago this month…I began an incredible -in every sense of that word- journey known as college. I went to a New Student Leadership Conference, where I had met a few people already, and also knew a couple girls from high school that would be going to Longwood too. I didn’t, however, know my roommate or any of the people living on my same hall. That hall being the 4th floor (no elevator, mind you) of South Ruffner…one of the oldest buildings at the school – which I just remembered had been recently renovated all EXCEPT our floor. So move-in day I meet Katherine. We instantly hit it off, and she told me about a friend of hers from high school who was in a fraternity that was having a party that night. Duh, of course we were going. I don’t remember if we had some sort of hall meeting with our RA *crazy RA, I might add* to meet everyone, but if we did…that’s when I would have really first met Caitlyn. But what I DO remember of our first meeting was sure to be a sign of the greatness and fun that was to become US. We were both at that same party that evening…and when we saw each other – pure excitement. (enter the first keek and hollz pic ever that only keek has a copy of). The end of that evening and almost getting in trouble with our RA on the FIRST night of college was the beginning of our beginning.
Freshman year might have been a little rough for me…there were a group of girls (Caitlyn included) that considered themselves the “fab five”…even though WE always hung out (and I would have been the 6th). One girl purposely left me out because, well, I don’t know why but I don’t care. All the other girls apart from this one didn’t really see it that way and we got along just fine. I wouldn’t say I was the closest to Keek at this point, but we definitely had a good friendship connection. Fast forward to sophomore year, a group of 6 of us from freshman year *mean girl NOT included – so ha!* decided to live together in a triple suite. 3 rooms, 1 bathroom type deal. The first semester all the girls except me decided to rush (aka join a sorority). 3 of them went to the same sorority, 1 went to another, and Keek didn’t get a bid from the one she wanted…so she was stuck with me  That may have been the turning point for us from close friends with all the girls to Keek and Hollz best friends. Literally…from that point on we were inseparable. We were both Comm majors, so we had all the same classes – even professors that I still keep in touch with ask about my other half when we talk. Spring of 2004 came and brought great things for Keek…she got a bid and became a member of Zeta. I did rush that semester, and it sucked for awhile – but her pledge sisters are sort of my pledge sisters too ;-)
Then comes junior year…more of the same classes (we now even have the same minor to have even MORE classes together), and I decided to rush one more time. (knowing that I would only take a bid from Zeta, because well, where else would I wanna be?) That semester was really rough because it was the first time Keek and I didn’t live at least down the hall from each other, and since I was pledging and she was already in…it sometimes made it difficult to get to hang out. haha I actually can think of more than one occasion where we didn’t really let that stop us…So once I was initiated and Keek OFFICIALLY became my sister, it brought a profound meaning to a saying in zeta “to give a firmer foundation to those friendships founded on college companionship”. That statement couldn’t be more true to two individuals ever, I don’t think.
This is getting realllllly long…but senior year was just as great. We lived together again, this time off campus and still having all the same classes and working in the public relations office together. Summer after graduation we may not have talked for like 3 weeks and it sucked and I don’t want to talk about it and nothing before or since has ever happened or is going to happen like that. End of that story.
At the same time I got a job and moved up to Northern Va (where Keek grew up and was living up to this point), she decided to make the move north herself, to Connecticut. I didn’t realize it’s 300 miles away or that it’s been 4 years since then…maybe because that’s just how strong our bond is. No matter the distance, no matter the circumstance, we’re always beside each other.

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