#348. November 5th, 2013: Vivian, Dee, Rob, and Dre

The four names that you see above are what I’m going to call the new Fantastic Four. They are the brave souls, the kind hearts, and the compassionate people who make up the Gelbucks night crew! During my first two years here at GW, I got pretty close to the night crew at Gelbucks since that’s when I’m usually starting my work after a long day. At the beginning-ish of this year, the crew switched around a lot and I started seeing the faces of Dee, Vivian, Rob, and Dre – and I was nervous. But with something new comes an opportunity, so I asked their names and got to know them. And guess what? They’re some of the coolest cats around. All of them are some of the nicest people you’ll meet and every single one of them has such a contagious laugh! They have a blast with what they do and I think it’s because they’re all such great people that get along so well. They make my night whenever I go in there, even if it’s at 5 in the morning. They are always so welcoming and happy to see me. Honestly, I think baristas at Starbucks in general, but especially at Gelbucks, deserve such praise and admiration. I rarely hear people ask how their days are going, or ask for their name to establish a relationship, and I think that needs to change. They are human beings too, and not, as I like to joke, “Barista #1, 2, and 3…” They are all such fantastic people and I am so thankful to have them as our night crew 🙂 They understand the values of making the customer happy and go to such great lengths to make peoples’ day. Vivian, Dee, Rob, and Dre – thank you all so much for being such genuine people with such vibrant personalities. Thank you so much for all the laughs and support, especially when it’s super late at night. Thank you so much for being troopers and for trekking through the long night hours, and thank you so much for just being awesome and down to earth human beings.

#289. September 7th, 2013: GW’s Class of 2017

Today was GW’s Freshman Day of Service, something that I’ve been involved in since my freshman year. The unique thing about these past two years though is that I’ve been a leader meaning that I’m serving with a group of the freshmen. The Class of 2017 today though was so spectacular. I had such a blast serving with them and it was just so much fun that you didn’t really notice the time going by. They’re honestly a bunch of really great people and it’s so awesome to have a bunch of them as my residents this year! To the Class of 2017, thank you all for serving so much and so well today and for just being a big group of awesome individuals! Thank you for being so friendly and so respectful too, especially the group I served with today 🙂 Thanks for being so great this summer too, during CI. Here’s to a great year!

#257. August 6th, 2013: Allison Hill

If you’re looking for a real life princess, then look no further: Allison Hill is here! 🙂 Seriously though, anyone who knows Allison is well aware of how absolutely gorgeous she is, especially on the inside. Allison is one of the sweetest and most kind hearted people that you’ll meet in life. She always has thing wonderful shining smile on her face and she can make you happy and comfortable in an instant. Allison is one of those people who will always be there for you to listen and be your friend. She’s fantastic at soaking in everything you say, processing it, and then thinking before she speaks. Everything she says in meaningful, just like her actions. Working with her this summer has been such an amazing experience 🙂 I have been lucky enough to watch her grow and develop into such a courageous woman. I love how she’s always so spunky and fun to be around 🙂 Allison truly does make any day a great day 🙂 Allison is just one of those people who makes you smile when you hear her name. This summer, any kid that was in her small group would rave about how incredible she is 🙂 She’s such a gem and I am so honored and happy to have her in my life 🙂 Allison, thank you so much for being such a beautiful soul, complete with a phenomenal sense of humor and a spectacular personality 🙂 Thank you so much for coming down to my room that one day to hear me freak out about that email 🙂 Thank you for calming me down in that moment because I sure as hell needed it 🙂 Thank you for always listening and for being someone I can talk to about anything. Thank you for sharing your life’s struggles and pleasures with me and thank you for opening yourself up in a level I can only admire 🙂 Thank you so much for being so brave this summer and for being the wonderful human being that you are 🙂 Thank you so much for having such a contagious laugh and for giving us the gift of your smile. Thank you so much for just being so much fun to be around! Thank you for the late night chats and the ridiculous moments and memories we’ve shared. Thank you for being someone I trust and someone I can count on with anything. Thank you for inspiring me to be a better person everyday and thank you for leading your life in such an honest and modest way. Thank you for being such a magnificent individual and thank you for starting Breaking Bad 🙂 Thank you for being yourself, because you truly are such a special person on this planet 🙂

#217. June 27th, 2013: CI Small Group 3

This CI was easily the quickest of them all so far. It feels like I was just waking up for Day 1 of CI 3 this morning, but already have the students gone home and the prep for CI 4 has already started! Wow! Although it was quick, this CI was easily the one with the most energy thus far. We had a phenomenal group of students come through and it was so exciting to welcome them to GW 🙂 My small group this time was a bit bigger than the last two, and my goodness they were incredible 🙂 For starters, they cheered for me during my intro and always had such good spirits. During our small group meetings they were so positive and willing to be open and share with the group. We had a FANTASTIC and hilarious time playing a certain game last night that had everyone laughing ridiculously hard 🙂 If any of you lovely people are reading this then you know what I’m talking about 😀 A lot of them were a bit nervous about CI and GW as a whole and during the course of CI they seriously blossomed so much and came to feel just a little more comfortable here 🙂 Some of them texted me after today or came up to me in person and thanked me for the experience which obviously made me tear up 🙂 So, to you my lovely CI 3 Small Group, thank you so much for being the wonderful human beings that you are and for joining me on such a crazy adventure. As I mentioned to you all last night, thank you so much for allowing me to be open with you and for welcoming the diversity and stories that were shared over the past couple of days. Thank you all for being such great people and for being supporters of your class and those around you. You all are going to have such a blast here at GW, and I am so proud to have you as part of the family 🙂 Thank you all for everything 😀

#214. June 24th, 2013: Derek

Tonight I went to hot yoga and my oh my was it incredible and super necessary. I went a bunch last summer and a bit during high school, but this was the first time I’ve gone back this summer. Our instructor was Derek and he was absolutely fantastic. He was super energetic and passionate about what he does and everything he said hit the nail of life on the head. He would talk about how we need to live in this moment now and how we have to appreciate the now as it’s the only thing guaranteed. Ahh! Everything he said was great and even the routine we did for all 75 minutes was phenomenal and intense. Derek was one of my favorite instructors I’ve ever had and he was just a superstar. Derek, thank you so much for making this Monday night spectacular and for giving me the opportunity to release all of my stress and thoughts, especially with CI 3 starting tomorrow. Thank you so much for giving me 75 minutes of an intense work out and thank you so much for just giving me some time to reflect and reconnect with my mind and body. Thank you so much for what you do and know that you are great at it 🙂

#211. June 21st, 2013: CI Small Group 2

Wow. Just like that, our second CI is over. My small group these past three days was absolutely incredible 🙂 I was a bit nervous as usual but right off the bat they were so welcoming and enthusiastic. It took a little bit of warming up to them but they truly were open to discussion and dialogue about such diverse topics. They were so fun and exciting too! They all were wonderful listeners and just made me feel so comfortable being so open with them, especially about the deeper stuff. They were all so friendly and by the end of today I just felt so happy around them and seeing them on campus already makes me so happy 🙂 To my fantastic small group from this crazy CI 2, thank you so much for a phenomenal experience. Thank you for a superb night last night filled with games and honesty! Thank you for your smiles and beautiful faces! 🙂 Thank you for being the incredible people that you are and thank you for being in my life these past three days. I can’t wait to see you guys in the fall 🙂

#197. June 7th, 2013: Marley Rashad

If you know Marley then you know that you have been graced with the friendship of someone truly spectacular. Marley is one of those special young women who just never ceases to amaze you. Let’s begin. Marley has the best hair ever. Marley’s smile is not only gorgeous, but it’s also unbelievably contagious and can make any room brighter. Marley has such a phenomenal sense of humor and knows exactly how to not take things personally and how to make light of any situation. Seriously though, Marley can make anything bad into something hilarious and she can always get you to laugh and smile when you need it most. Marley is incredibly inclusive and knows how to make everyone feel welcome and loved. I’ve gotten to know a few other members of her sorority and naturally they all love her just like everyone does 🙂 Marley isn’t afraid to step outside of her comfort zone and take risks. She just studied in Madagascar for goodness sake 🙂 She is the life of the party and she is also a fantastic listener and someone who will be there when you need her. She has so much love and compassion and is so diligent and dedicated as well. Marley, thank you so much for giving me so many superb memories from such a ridiculously flamboyant and fabulous summer 🙂 Thank you so much for making me happy and for being the beautiful person that you are. Thank you so much for just being in my life and for being you and owning it 🙂

#194. June 4th, 2013: Sugar and Harvey

Sugar and Harvey are by far the world’s most incredible married couple 🙂 They are friends of my grandparents and then have been in love for decades 🙂 Aside from just their marriage, both Sugar and Harvey are wonderful people in general. They both are so kind and compassionate and generous, and they both are so willing to help everyone around them. Every time I see them interact with each other it’s the most fantastic thing and it just makes you so hopeful for the world and for humanity. They really do represent love and commitment and I am so thankful to have them in my life. Sugar and Harvey, thank you both so much for being such phenomenal friends to my grandparents and thank you so so so much for all of the love and care you have always shown and given my family. Thank you so much for being so inspiring and sensational and thank you both for making me so happy whenever I see you! Thank you so much for being in my life and thank you for just being the superb human beings that you are 🙂

#182. May 23rd, 2013: GW’s Summer Assistants

Today was extremely hectic. People freaking out over move out, sweating because of the heat, and just being anxious overall. The craziest thing is that these GW Summer Assistants are the ones dealing with all of this. With hundreds of students moving in and out today, they probably had their fair share of rude comments thrown their way and just people not being very nice. When I went to check in today, they all were so kind and patient and made me feel so reassured about anything I asked. They were very welcoming and compassionate overall. To all of you summer assistants, thank you so much for all of your hard work and for your ability to keep a smile on your face. Thank you for your help today and thank you for your patience. You’re all awesome! 🙂

#157. April 28th, 2013: Grady O’Leary

Where do I even begin with a superhero like Grady? Say his name to anyone who has even heard of him and they’ll freak out, say he’s incredible, and then say they miss him. Well, I agree. Grady is something else. He’s a greek god. A role model. A leader. Someone you go to for advice. Someone you know will be there for the rest of you life, no matter what. Grady is a humble and modest man who would never do anything bad, ever. In fact, he’s saved a man’s life before. Literally. Grady is also one of those people who you can have incredible conversations with. He can be goofy, he can be serious and intellectual, and he knows how to have fun. From running on the beach at 1 AM in the bright moonlight to standing quarters on their sides for hours at Starbucks, Grady is honestly one of the best people in the world. You can sit in silence with him and feel comfortable. You can even drive to Mexico and back and have it be a regular adventure 🙂 Like I said, Grady is something else. Grady is one of my biggest mentors and role models in life. He inspired me to come out in high school and he inspires me every single day to be a better person. To focus on having integrity and being genuine. To be honest and responsible. Grady demonstrates every great quality in the book. He is honest and fair, he’s rational and a dreamer. He’s a doer and a visionary. He’s a listener and someone that actually cares about what you have to say. He has a presence in everyone’s life even when he’s not around. You know that Grady is there for you, and you appreciate it so much. Grady is also one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. He knows 5 million languages and can tackle any academic task you give him. He is driven and dedicated and will not stop until he’s finished with something. The most unbelievable part? He will never talk about himself. He is modest beyond belief and he will compliment you with any chance he gets. He is a remarkable human being. Grady, thank you so much for being a part of all of our lives. Thank you so much for being the exquisite individual that you are. Thank you so much for brightening my life and for being someone who I know I can learn from and who I know is going to do so many special things in life. Thank you so much for putting up with my ridiculousness all the time and thank you for dealing with my quick white lie before the phone call tonight 🙂 Thank you for making my visits to NYC absolutely awesome with your dinner ideas and just dealing with my touristy-ness. Thank you so much for being so rich with stories and perspectives and for having such a colorful view on life. Thank you for being you, Grady. 🙂