Liz Burdzy

Every now and then I write a blog for a certain special person. Usually on a birthday, or after some great event.
Well, I was showing some of these to my dear roommate, Elizabeth Burdzy.
She wanted one. I said I'd probably do one for her birthday.
And then, miracle of miracles (or, because we had to re-draw like 6 times), I drew her name in our dorm's "Secret Santa."
That was easy. I already knew what she wanted.
And this is it.
An Alayna Een original..... a blog post for Liz.


Going to college, there were a million and a half things to worry about. 

Somehow, in the chaotic tumble of packing and registering and getting books, I didn't really spend time thinking about my roommates. 

I had friended most of them on Facebook. I had decided who I thought my favorites would be.

But Liz, I didn't know you. 

On the day I moved in, you weren't there. 

I was busy with New Student Orientation. You were spending time with your mom.

So I don't know the exact moment when we became friends. 

Maybe it was in the late nights/early mornings we spent talking in the hallway. 

Or the couple of times we stayed up in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate and spilling our guts. 

But we are. Suddenly and undeniably. We became friends. 

It's amazing what you can learn about a person by living with them and listening to them. (As I learned that night we played "Alayna Trivia.")

And this, dearest Lizzie, is what I've learned about you.

Liz the fearless. 

Whether it's taking the first step and asking a guy on a date, or saying "hi" to a famous athlete you cross on campus, you have the guts to make things happen. I've always balked at the idea of asking someone on a date, and only rose to the occasion because you had already asked someone and needed a double. And you know what? It was a lot of fun.
And you've got to have guts to go as a "grayscale" person for Halloween.

Liz the fangirl

One of the my biggest dreads when I came to college was the idea that no one would geek out with me. You helped assay that dread. We fangirl. Our Friday nights are sacred. 

I'm passionate about my shows, don't get me wrong. But I've never seen anyone get so worked up about a fictional story as you did on that one episode of Arrow. You have such a passion for life, people, and a good story! You are like me, faithful as a fangirl. Seeing you show such emotion for these people gives me an idea of how much you must care for the real people in your life. 

And it's a lot, Liz. A lot.

You are also a total shipper. In real life.
It usually just seems ridiculous, but is always highly amusing when you jump from  "first date" to "eternal mate" with budding roommate romances. You were SO sure that Canute would ask me on that second date. We made a bet. You lost. I got ice cream.
But it's nothing to be ashamed of. You just like to see people happy. Something I can totally appreciate. 

Liz the optimist

Liz, I've seen you cry. It was while you were reading some of my more personal blog posts (which was already more than enough to endear you to me. I'm a sucker for those who like my writing). You teared up when I showed you the lost song from Aladdin. And when I told you how Amy and Rory die, even though you don't know them yet, you were fighting back emotion.  

Yes, Liz. I've seen you cry. 

But I've never seen you sad.

You usually wear a smile and work with the attitude that "everything will be ok."
But every now and then, you let slip a secret hardship. Something that would totally crush and devastate most people. Something I never could have guessed or couldn't even imagine going through myself. And it's something that you've already worked through and risen above.
You are incredibly inspiring. Smiling in the face of adversity.


Liz the Loving

You put your face, and the faces of all of our roommates, over all of my picture frames. It was a not-so-subtle way of proving that you were part of my family. And it was hilarious. And touching. And I thought it was great.
Leaving your computer open is practically begging for someone to mess with it.
When I left mine open, on my way to a date, you took advantage of that opportunity. But not in the way most teenagers do.
Yes, you changed my Facebook picture and wrote a funny status.
But you and Marissa took the time to create a thirty minute video of little pieces of advice and motivational phrases personalized for me. You spent a little bit of time and gave me something unique and priceless.
This is my attempt at returning the favor.







Thanks for all of the memories.
Thanks for being you.
Have a very merry Christmas....
and a happy New Year.