Amanda: The stranger. Amanda is the one who came in after interpreting 1. When she first entered I was intimidated and of course wondered who this "new girl" was. I remember one time we had to set up a ethical discussion circle and Amanda jumped right in and told us how to set it up. From then on I knew she had the mom mentality, I could definitely spot a fellow babysitter/nanny. We didn't really hang out much in interpreting 2, but I will never forget Amanda Kayla Sarah and I stayed late in lab. For some odd reason I got an energy boost from pizza, it was intense. Amanda sat through it laughing her butt off. I totally thought I lost every chance of proving to her that I was some what normal. Then in Interpreting 3 Amanda became more than just a friend, she became a classmate, and she joined the family. She is an encouraging person to be around one; look and you feel inspired. She is also an amazing Godly woman, she is chasing Jesus and is doing a great job. Her interpreting skills kick butt. She really proved she belonged in this program and nothing could hold her back. Yeah I may have made fun of her for being so "old" but she truly is a kid at heart. Whenever we are being immature she just sits back and laugh but I know that kid is trying to come out, I feel like we have helped with that. Because I sure know she has helped me and our class a ton. Someone needs something she is right there to fill the need. If someone needs an encouraging word she is right there making sure you know you're loved. If you're almost 6 years old and all your world consisted of at that moment was your lunchable, and it falls on the ground, she is right there with another one in hand. So Amanda, thank you for always having lunchables around, you have encouraged me so much. You may have been a stranger but now I call you family. Congrats on graduation Amanda(WEE WITH AN ASSOCIATES), you deserve it.
Clennie:C-cheek Oh Clennie (KLONKIE), by golly. I'm sorry I couldn't resist. Thinking back to interpreting 1-3 i realized we were not really friends. We were mainly friends because of Kayla. But this semester you have been my lunch buddy and I'm so grateful I was able to get to know you on a different level. I have seen us open up to each other a little bit more every Tuesday Thursday that passes. Your weirdness has finally showed itself to me, and I must say I'm okay with it. It was a little intimidating at first but then changed into "oh Clennie." You tell people how it is and make us laugh with your weirdness, or scare us enough to not want to walk with you in the dark, either way we still love you. On a serious note, you are a bad a** student, holy cow. Yes you may stay up watching murder shows (hence why we are still scared) but you get all your work done and understand most of everything before I even understand 2 + 2. I am really going to miss hanging out with you and procrastinating every tuesday and thursday. You made those hours go by quickly and made them fun. Especially when I wasn't really feeling like being at school. You inspire me to be a better student and for that I will take with me forever. Congrats on graduation Clennie you deserve it.
Emaleigh:Emmy! EM!!!! My fishy co-mom. (that sounds fishy.) I've known you since ASL 4. Which feels like forever ago! I remember I was jealous of your skill to be able to talk to Kevin so well and proficiently. Also, all your dresses were really pretty, so nice and casual yet looked good. I can say with you we have kept the same relationship all 4 semesters. Never getting into a fight just calm and cool. Last semester when we went on an assignment together I was really nervous because I was scared to share feedback together because we haven't really done that through the 2 years we have been in the same class, which was weird to me. But I remember you told me how great I was then said a little bit of constructive feedback and it made me feel so good. I knew you were more comfortable with the setting we were going into than myself so I was scared you would act better than me, and you didn't. I was grateful for that and when I shared my feedback you were so accepting of it. Em, you are gonna make one hell of an interpreter. Remember who you are and be secure in it.
Erin: SPARKLE! Well, this girl, what can I say about her? Everyone knows her as cute and princess like, but when you get to know Erin, she is that, but also so crazy. The first time I saw Erin, I thought "mmm, she's trying to be a fake red head." Then I found out she was obsessed with Disney, this is no normal obsession, this is like me and owl obsession, and I realized this girl has to be cool she has good taste. She started sitting next to this girl who had black hair looked the complete opposite of Erin but somehow they would whisper to each other and laugh really loudly. I knew I wanted to be friends with them but I didn't think 3 completely different people could be friends. There was that black haired pale girl that looked a little rough on the outside, then this sweet little long haired disney lover, then the Jesus Freak. I thought no way, but we ended up being really good friends. After getting to know Erin i realized why we all clicked, yeah we were all different but we each had a little quirk that was a little quirkier then the other. I remember one time we went to Sea World and Erin thought this one employee was super cute! Wanting to be the cool friend and having 20 seconds of intense courage, I ran after him and told him that the she was interested. Of course, something awkward had to happen because well, it was me, and he informed me that he had a girlfriend. Oh, the good ol' days. Well here we are Erin, we gave our graduation forms all together and are still friends to the end of the 2 years. I'm so lucky you are beside me while taking this journey. You make life fun and exciting. You're smile can light up a room, and your tears can make others cry with you, even if you're crying over a little boy who just wants to learn, dang it. I don't know what I would do without you here, now here we go as Maeve's bridesmaids. Can't wait to dance with you like crazy! So Erin, Congrats on graduation, you deserve it.
Jake: J-hair! My Jakey-poo, this gentleman is so crazy, but he is my Jakey. He is nicknamed Inappropriate twin, I'll tell you about his twin in a moment, but that is a very accurate nickname. I first met Jake in ASL 2 (?) I thought he was a pretty cute lab tech. I didn't know he was gay until ASL 4. Now that we are so close that is pretty weird to me because now he is my brother from another mother. When we first entered interpreting 1 and I saw him I was so intimated because I knew he worked at the lab and knew Kevin (Kevin was my whole ASL world) which meant Jake was in the know. His signing was pretty bomb and he knew the interpreting professor. I didn't think he would want to be friends with me and in all honesty I don't even remember how we started talking, but I'm so glad we did. I have great respect for him, I remember we had to go get a gift for our professor and we had a deep discussion about our opinions on certain debatable subjects, but in the end we agreed to disagree or even agreed, either way it was a respectable opinion sharing time. I remember one day I was completely drained. Everything went wrong, my micro, my classes, I felt like my life was over (drama queen hello), I walked into lab no tears, and Jake walked right up to me and gave me the best hug and told me it was going to be okay. I guess my body language said it all: Hug me or watch me fall. He truly was my support in that moment, he took all my pain and sadness, he may not know it but I do. I remember him just repeating a grade doesn't define you, it doesn't show who you are, I've heard that many times before, but Jake had so much empathy for me I could feel it in his words. After that he told me to show them what I've got, and to not let them win. It was almost 2 years ago but it still sticks in my head till this day. Jake, you are one amazing man, you are a great person to be around, even when we have had our little tiffs, I still respect you. I've seen you grow so much from interpreting 1 till now. I'm so thankful you are in our class. Jakey, congrats on graduation, you deserve it!
Maeve: Gravy! My best friend, my soul mate, my "I wonder if they are lesbian" partner! You are the reason I am here today. Your support, encouragement and sarcasm has gotten me through a tough program. You are so amazingly beautiful inside and out. I remember the first time I saw you in your speech class. You were so cool and punk/hipster I thought we would never be friends!! I remember seeing you in lab with a broken arm and bleached hair; I still thought you were too cool to talk to me. Then in terp 1 we went to an event together and well, I never went to another event alone after. We made a pack to do EVERYTHING together, and boy do we, sometimes not even our school work. You make me a better person, and show me how to live life to the fullest. I thought when you got into CSUN and I didn't that our friendship would become awkward, but instead it has become stronger; you didn't throw me away like so many have because you got something better, instead you loved me more. Thank you Maevey for always being so supportive. "I hate being bi-polar, IT'S AWESOME" ;) love you and our weird humor!!!! :) congrats Maevey I love you.
Nate: Late-Nate! I knew of Nate in Deaf culture, we actually had the same class. I didn't really talk with him until interpreting though. But even then he was that tall person who came in late and left right on time. It took us a long time to even figure out if he was married or what. He is, to an amazing woman who actually helped Clennie when she needed her wrist massaged and worked on. Pretty handy. Nate is a really skilled student and interpreter as well. He's super smart and asks so many good questions. Theres not really much to say about him. He never really got close with us but I do know he is great to work with. I can't wait to work with you in the future late Nate! I'll see you around I know you wont be at graduation so have fun with the wife!!! Congrats Nate, you deserve it!
Vanessa: V-cheek! Mommy, what would I do without you. For real. You are the so amazing to me! I met you in Deaf perspectives and I didn't really know who you were and thought you were my age. I thought you were super cool for being able to sign with Kevin so well. I also loved your hair and style. Then we started talking and I realized you were super cool, but you deff had way more life experiences than me ;) so you became an older sister or "mommy" figure to me! "Kartmen" will forever be a good acknowledgement of when you can't remember a name I should let it go. You are so wise and I think you forget that sometimes. Jj has a great mom, protector and role model for a wonderful woman. Never underestimate yourself, look at you, look at what you have become. You are one good looking mama! I cannot wait to spend time with you outside of the program and not being stressed! Also, I am so excited that you will be standing with me when our friend gets married!!!! Vanessa you inspire me to be the best that I can be! Thank you for loving me when I wasn't that lovable, and thanks for never giving up on me!! I love you!! Congrats on graduating, you deserve it!
Geri: wow, when I was in your class I thought I was gonna die, then in interpreting 3 I thought man I would die without the knowledge I have from you. You have equipped me so we'll and made my life so much easier for the rest of my education! You are a wonderful person, and even better teacher putting everyone before yourself. Geri, you inspire me toward hard and stay humble, thank you for all the knowledge you have given me!! You are wonderful! - a grateful student <3 Melissa: Melissa, thanks for being so understanding with us. Whenever I became overwhelmed with something that I thought was extremely important you put things in perspective, that is what a great teacher is made of. You helped us reach our end goal and do it successfully! You were always encouraging and rooting for us. I've never had a teacher wanting us all to pass and achieve what was best for each of us individually. Thanks for being an inspiring teacher and so flexible with all of our needs. <3 Katey: Red Leader, What can I say that I haven't said before? You are one amazing lady. Even though by the end I picked fights with you (I'm a ginger I can't help it), I still respect you in all ways possible. You showed me how to be respectful and still say my feelings/opinions appropriately. You showed a lot of us how to be an amazing interpreter without trying. Your perfectionist attitude made me want to achieve great things just as you have. Your calming attitude also showed me that working hard can be fun. Red leader, you shaped me into the interpreter I am today and I am forever grateful for that! You inspire me everyday with your love for life; don't lose your spark. Red Leader congrats your chick-a-dees have flown the coop! <3 I don't know what I would do with all of them. It is scary moving on and realizing most of them wont be with me anymore. Trying to publish this is hard because I feel like after I hit that button the truth of us not being in class anymore will come true. But one day with all of us having a BA after our names we will be assigned together and I just see us running at each other slow-mo arms extended, smile glowing and finally together again. Yeah, it's Palomar, HA, but outsiders will never know the difficulties of this program or the reason why the struggle has made us so close. Two years together and we have all become family. So sing it with me now as the song gets stuck in my head: WE ARE FAMILY, ALL MY LITTLE TERPS AND ME, WE ARE FAMILY, COME ON EVERYBODY SIGN!!!!
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