… had me a blast. Do you know what song I am thinking of?
This is my all time favourite song and movie, and when I was little I used to make everyone sing it with me. I was Sandy, and Danny took on the shape of my stepfather, brother, friend, anyone really who would humour me!
So today in honour of all those happy memories, I wanted to share with you my summer lovin’. This summer has been and will be dedicated to all my best friends, the women who inspire me everyday, and who have taught me so much. So let me begin in chronological order, and no other order of preference.
1997 and my tadpole
In 1997, I started school for the first time. On my first day, I met my best friend. Now, how many people can say that? Her name is Maja, and at the time her head was twice the size of her body, hence her nickname “punoglavac” translated as tadpole. Luckily, she grew into her head, and is now a very successful business woman in the pharmaceutical industry. But, that’s not the most interesting thing about her.
Maja is fierce, she is the one person that would move the Earth for you. She is caring, and will always stand by your side – even if she outright disagrees with you (and she does that often). Maja is the kind of friend that only a very few of us will get, and I am just happy I got to spend the last 21 years of my life with her.
Being a true friend is about sticking together, even when you lose faith.
The locker-room girls
In 2002, I moved to the UK to start a new school in a different language. If any of you have done that you will know how stressful that can be. There I am slightly chubby definitely out of place, and it happens; I get pushed around the locker room. Out of nowhere this tiny blond girl steps out and takes my side. A friendship is born. She brings me to her friend and together they change my whole schooling experience in the UK. You see Megan, and Lauren didn’t judge me by my lack of language knowledge, or my cultural heritage.
Today, they are my rocks. Megan is the strongest person I know, and Lauren embraces life 100% everyday.
True friends don’t judge.
My life travel companion
Alice Bunker, the nicest person you will meet. It’s 2012, and we just graduated UCL. Happy and jolly off one too many wines we tell our whole faculty how we will travel across America. At the time it was an outright lie, and to avoid embarrassment we actually decided to travel across America. During university we were coffee friends, but that trip made us life travel companions. I can’t imagine going anywhere far without her! This year in November we will be taking on Australia – make sure you follow us for some amazing photos.
Alice taught me that you don’t have to see you friends everyday to be best friends. Every time we see each other it’s 2012, and we are drinking wine on the UCL steps.
No time passes between good friends.
First job, first friends
It’s that time in your life, and you are fully employed. Things are not going as well as you had hoped. You are not rich by any means, and in fact your day job is mostly administrative, even though you spent the past 6 years studying. The thing that can make that better are your friends, and I had double trouble on my hands. Maja and Milica – the design twins. Okay so they are not twins, and Milica actually trained Maja to become a designer – but you see what I tried to do there…
Milica is the type of person you want to put in your pocket and snuggle. She is kind, loving, and extremely tolerant. Maja, on the other hand, is my agony aunt. You have a problem, she will help you talk it out. What more can a girl want from her first job?
Friends are your best support network.
My accidental best friend
Recently, I met someone who happens to be a like-minded individual. You know that person you text more than your significant other? That person that knows what you eat or don’t eat, or when you are having a bad day by just seeing you walk into the room. Okay, so I met that person only a few months ago. Her name is Daria, and although this friendship is new it’s also very exciting.
Daria is a creative mind, and she believes in her friends.
You can make great friends at any point in your life.
My professional inspiration
Sonja Leix is my professional wonder woman. I met Sonja as part of an organisation for WordPress, and this year she was my team lead. Sonja has taught me what it takes to lead a team, but more than that she is a person I look up to. Although, we haven’t spent as much time as we would like together we have some exciting trips to plan for the future.
Friends are inspirational.
To all you out there remember to appreciate your girlfriends, and share with me your summer lovin’ stories! Happy sunbathing!
