Dear Kimberly/Kimbo/Kimbolini (I know, I have way too many nicknames for you),

It's honestly difficult for me to remember the time on campus before we were close. I can vaguely recall the very beginning of fall semester of freshman year when you and I were in Workshop in Modern Dance together, but were not yet friends. I didn't know at the time how many lasting friendships and bonds would come from that class, and how many life decisions would end up stemming from my experience in it. We were just two awkward freshman trying to get used to Ohio Wesleyan and living away from home for the first time. Now, just a little over a year later, you and I are fellow sophomore Dance majors, best friends, and sorority sisters.

The first time I remember us actually becoming friends was after one of our Workshop in Modern classes, when we had to run back home in the pouring rain. I thought you were literally going to pull my arm out of its socket because you were terrified of the thunder and lightning. Around that same time, we bonded over our shared love of One Direction, 5SOS, and Miranda Sings. We were in the same piece for the dance showcase “Orchesis 15/16” and we started to get dinner together a lot before our Wednesday and Thursday rehearsals. Both of us (along with most of our Workshop in Modern class) were trying really hard that semester to survive three-hour-long dance company rehearsals after our two-hour-long dance class. I remember our coffee runs after rehearsals, especially during tech week when we took a bunch of videos of us yelling and running, trying to make it back before Stuy Cafe closed (we made it every night, thank goodness).

During spring semester, we started studying together a lot, and got even closer than before. It worked out that we each decided to join the same sorority during formal recruitment, even though I know we both would have been supportive of each other if we had ended up in different sororities. Being a part Delta Zeta has had a really profound impact on both of our lives and it has been wonderful sharing that process and experience with you. Memories like ice skating on Bid Night, winning Kappa Karaoke, and contemplating the identities of our our Bigs during Big/Little Week will always be prominent reminders of our friendship and sisterhood during that time. We were also in another dance class together, participated in a lot of the same pieces in the student-run dance showcase “Terpsicorps,” and were on the same crews for the two spring theatre productions, so it ended up that we spent most of our time together that semester.

This past semester, we've still spent a ton of time together in class, studying, grabbing lunch, participating in DZ events, and just generally hanging out, bringing us even closer. At this point, the ridiculousness meter on our friendship is through the roof. I love how we can do things like just randomly shout at each other in bad, ever-changing accents and not even bat an eyelash about it. We're both super weird and have the strangest senses of humor, and I'm really glad that I found someone to laugh at all of my awkward jokes. I know that it probably isn't fun to have your birthday be on the weekend before finals, but I just wanted to write you this letter to wish you a happy birthday and let you know how much our friendship means to me. I know that you are someone who will always have my back and I, in return, will always be there for you. Happy birthday, Kimbo!

DZLAM (but mostly mine),

Hayley