21 years young

This past Saturday I found out that my freshman year roommate passed away. She was only 21 years old. I hadn't really spoken to her after I moved out of our apartment half way through the semester. The last time I remember talking to her, it was when her father passed away. We weren't ever really that close though...even when we did live together...I was always busy and not at the apartment. I knew enough about her though to know that she was a beautiful person inside and out. She cared about all of her friends and would do anything for them. She had a lot of life to live and she was an unbelievably strong woman. 

I remember our middle of the night Walmart runs, taco bell runs, and random swimming moments when we weren't even supposed to be in the pool. I remember the random conversation we would have in my room when the four of us would just crowd into the small rooms. I remember sharing a bathroom with you and we'd always get confused on whose hair stuff we were using because we used the same stuff. I remember one night after we left a party, we were walking home and we found a hubcap that someone has lost. We decided that we were going to use it as a decoration for our apartment. Unfortunately I ended up leaving the apartment for reasons shortly after. I remember going to party with you and 2 of the guys and he had to pee really bad so we pulled over so he could be near the construction site. I remember how you convinced some guys that we met to give me my first kiss...haha. There are so many small memories that I have with you and I didn't appreciate them until now. I didn't appreciate having you as a roommate until now...I didn't appreciate the friendship that we had or the fact that we even lived together. 

I really didn't talk to her after that. I'd see her around campus though and she'd be smiling and laughing with her friends. She really was a wonderful person. I don't know why I've been thinking about this so much, but I guess it's because she was a person that I knew. A person that to some extent I knew and shared laughs and fun times with. I'm lucky to have met her even for that short period of time and I can only imagine the impact that she had on all of the people she met and befriended. 

Erica, you will be missed by all of the people you met. I will miss you. All of the people's lives that you influenced will never ever forget you. Rest in peace. Heaven gained a beautiful young woman this weekend. 1/31/15.