December 2017:
Turns out the transition to adulthood was not as smooth and picturesque as we had hoped... but somehow you did graduate (top 6 in your class with a 4.0 I might add) and you completed your first semester of college quite easily (though you earned your first B). Right now we’re struggling with living away from home and sleeping with a nocturnal roommate. Making friends is harder than we had envisioned as well; it turns out Ann Arbor is about as easy to make friends in as Bloomfield.. considering you see your Bloomfield neighbors walking through the Diag on a daily basis. Though I have to remain optimistic and so I must concede that there have been some good moments. You had two of the best vacations ever (Puerto Rico and Paris), academically college is going swimmingly, you’ve shed off the dead weight of fake friends, learned a heck of a lot about yourself, and you have more control of your life. And with great power comes great responsibility, so here are your marching orders: live like the Parisians and recognize that life is meant to live and not just meant to make a living, forgive yourself as often as you forgive others, create a life that gives you a reason to live it, let others have faults and lives of their own, speak your mind as though Ursula were about to take your voice forever, and fall in love with yourself for then others can love you. We’re a little tattered from weathering this storm the past year, but as long as you keep putting in the effort, we’ll just keep calm and carry on.
Letter to then-basketball coach John Beilein, April 2018:
Dear Coach Beilein,
I want to thank you for everything you’ve accomplished with the team this season. You don’t know it, but coming to basketball games at Chrisler Center had a huge impact on me this year and made the difference between me transferring schools and staying here after my freshman year. Coming to Michigan was not part of my plan a year ago, but changing circumstances led me here and I started my freshman year last fall feeling like a fish out of water, having a pretty awkward and homesick first semester.
Coming back for second semester, I was seriously considering transferring schools. A week before my 19th birthday, my aunt called me one morning out of the blue and asked if I wanted to go to the Rutgers game that afternoon, and I reluctantly went because I had nothing better to do. To be honest coach, I didn’t know too much about your team. I remembered Moe from the NCAA tournament last year, and I had seen Teske occasionally walking to and from class (he’s obviously hard to miss). Other than that though, I went in cheering for a team that I only halfheartedly felt a part of. But then something amazing happened: Jalen Rose was at that game and Jude Stamper was brought out on to the court and I learned about his story for the first time. I don’t remember much else from that game except sitting in the nosebleeds, asking my aunt about all the players, watching the student section erupt with enthusiasm, and not realizing that when the 40 minutes were up, the game was done (I had hoped it was only halftime).
What I'm trying to say is you've gained a lifelong fan. See you next game!
November 2018:
You got a job in Palmer Commons, and we’re christened with your first C. Yes, you read that right. Tbh I don’t care. I’ve felt happier these past few months than I have in years. The house you live in is fabulous (despite an unsettling 🐭 problem), you live next door to one of your best friends and you’ve been quite the globetrotter this year! You’ve let loose, made some questionable decisions, and STARTED SLEEPING AGAIN. I know, you can’t believe it right? Neither can I. It hasn’t been all buttercups and gumdrops for sure. Oh! There is so much to tell you I almost forgot that you write for the Michigan Daily now! What’s next? Oh yeah! For next year I want to take any pressure off of you to make leaps and bounds of progress. I just want to continue what you’re doing because it’s working for you girl. Here’s to 20 years of killing it and I wish you all the love, laughter, and Lindt chocolate in the world!! I can’t wait to see where we end up next year...
Daily Gratitude:
2/7/19:
-Not eating the muffin at work
-Having a delicious lunch and dinner from Amer’s and Salads Up
-Meeting and being inspired by Coach
-Getting closer to the girls from Ignite
-Making Gabi feel better
-Seeing Lily and realizing how much better my life is now
-Getting my laundry done
-Getting a better night’s sleep than I have been recently
-Having a nice conversation with Caroline
2/8/19:
-Having Ariana Grade’s new album to study to
-Getting up the courage to ask Sofia why she’s been distant -Chatting with Nadine who still remembers me
-For being able to walk into a warm house after a freezing walk
-For a rejuvenating nap
-For Laney Byler who is an angel
-For getting me to Plum safely and for a delicious dinner
-Finding a suitcase at TJ Maxx
2/9/19:
-Not being as tired as I thought getting up for wristbands
-Safely driving to Starbucks to study
-Having a nice phone call
-Helping a Spartan fan who got locked out of his car
-Winning the game against Wisconsin
-Having the gang go to the video shoot with you
-Eating a late lunch and not giving into stadium food
-Going to yoga with Eileen
-Getting Amers and watching the lights on State Street
2/10/19:
-Finding a free parking spot right outside of Starbucks
-Playing “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” at Starbucks literally the second after I was thinking about it omg
-Having my favorite food at Plum
-Getting through another Eddie workout
-Getting yummy groceries with Momma
-Having such understanding parents
-SNL videos posted on YouTube
2/11/19:
-Getting up on time to study at Starbucks
-Econ exam felt better than expected
-Guest lecture is Psych
-History lecture canceled so I have more time to study for Soc!
-Saw Brooke twice in one day
-Finally get to go to yoga with Sofia again
-Was able to rest for a bit before yoga
-Killed it at yoga
-Brooke called and we chatted for 45 minutes
2/12/19:
-Daddy wants to go to London with me for Father’s Day :)
-Being able to stream the Champions League game on TNT
-Exams are over
-Double-header basketball games
-Taking a few hours to rest in bed
-Unexpected chat with Peter
-Realized even Beilein is human
2/13/19:
-Stayed in bed until alarm went off
-Had a sweet potato for breakfast: genius!
-Did a nice deed for Brooke, even if she didn’t show up
-History lecture was canceled because of technical difficulties
-Met Alexis from discussion and had a nice chat
-Worked an extra hour at work and shift went by pretty quickly
-Closed on time to make it to yoga
-Crushed it at yoga again
2/14/19:
-Work went quickly
-Got to run errands with Momma
-Got a free carnation
-Really bubbly mood despite being tired
-End of the week! -Movie with Brooke
2/15/19:
-Getting my nails done
-Planning my date tonight with H!
-Looked bomb
2/16/19:
-Still got the butterflies
-Successful drive to Starbucks
-Face looks good despite no sleep
-Good reason for no sleep; reality is better than my dreams
-Seeing Father at Starbucks seemed like a good omen
2/17/19:
-Being really productive at Starbucks
-Not eating too much today
-Holding your beliefs firm
2/18/19:
-Lots of time with Brooke
-Henry, Henry, Henry
-Day flew by
-Made it to yoga
-Funny David coincidence
2/19/19:
-Met up with Eileen to gossip and do work
-Sunny, relatively warm day
-Not too busy, lots of time to chill
-Went to Brooke’s and chatted with her and Henry
-Trying on dresses
2/20/19:
-Slept well and didn’t wake up until alarm went off
-Skipped two classes and studied at Starbucks with Brooke
-Work went quickly
-Ab day at yoga
-I LOVE MY FRIENDS
2/21/19:
-Dad agreed to Cali with Brooke!
-Blessed to have enough money in my bank account to be able to eat out twice in one day
-The strangers I befriend along the way
2/22/19-2/27/19:
-Made it through exams
-Didn’t throw up with migraine
-Fortunate enough to eat lots of delicious food
2/28/19:
-I have spring break and fly to Greece tomorrow to forget him
3/1/19:
-PETER GOT INTO MICHIGAN
-My flight was on time and landed safely
3/17/19:
Thank you for keeping this entire campus safe after the false alarm yesterday. I feel blessed to have been so far away from the incident, so lucky that the AA police responded so quickly, that no one was hurt, and most of all THAT IT WAS A FALSE ALARM
5/19/19:
Kept me safe driving on the HIGHWAY through FLASH FLOODS to make it to Gabi’s graduation
5/21/19:
Opa came to the door when I dropped off food
Actually followed through with cooking
Day three without him
London in three weeks
5/24/19:
A mysterious stranger walked into a bar and handed me his number… hehe
Thankful for friends
5/28/19:
Thank you for keeping my morals straight, even in the face of temptation
London is exactly two weeks away
6/5/19:
London is less than a week away
Able to laugh about date with Dan
Hang with Ella
Lucy took my shift!
Laptop isn’t broken!
6/8/19:
Had a fun night with Eileen and co… no trouble!!!
Got my last açaí bowl and it was delicious!!
Last work shift today!
Beautiful weather for my last day in AA
September 2019:
A text I had to send my roommates -
Hi girls,
Happy Friday! I left the house this morning and saw that there were plates and leftover food in the living room as well as many dishes in the sink and I was hoping we could be more on top of our chores so we can keep the common spaces clean. I have been keeping up my end of the deal and cleaned the bathroom completely last week as well as changing the trash all week like I was assigned. I know that we are all busy and overwhelmed with classes, but it is important that we keep the house clean because we had mice last fall because one of my roommates was not careful with her food. I think you all know that I had issues with my roommates last year because I essentially did all the chores and I just want to bring this up now before it gets to be a problem. Last weekend I completely deep cleaned the kitchen and did all the dishes and cleaned the stove top, microwave, etc even though it was not my job and I am willing to do my share as always, but I would like it if we could be conscientious. If the problem is knowing what is required of each of us, we can outline some rules. And if keeping up with chores becomes too much for your busy schedules, we can arrange a system like I did last year in which my one roommate paid my share of the bills in exchange for me doing her chores. I don’t want to be the house mom and I’m not trying to nag, I just want to make sure we all have the best environment and make sure everyone is happy. As I’m writing this, Mary Anne emailed us all regarding whether we want to stay on for next year, which makes this conversation especially relevant and is something we can definitely discuss if any of you have any concerns.
Love,
Sophia