My Friend Brianna
Originally published November 28, 2024
It’s officially Thanksgiving, which means one of my good friends is home for the holidays. Home from college a thousand miles away in Michigan, I wanted to have a chat with my girl in honor of her being back from school!
A little bit about Brianna: her favorite color is red, she loves folk music, and we became two peas in a pod in our seventh grade digital imaging class. We gab about our mutual love of photography, the broadway adaptation of Newsies, and clothes (she’s a fun, colorful, patterned vest girl and I’m a things-everything-else-thinks-is-ugly girl). We tend to spend our time at home together at the beach, making ramen in my kitchen, or spilling chisme a little too loud at our local diner over milkshakes and tater tots.
I asked her a few questions about school, our friendship, and some other things, so I present to you: Brianna Parker!
Her second shoutout on Funky Giraffes (i.e. the photo caption on my welcome post)! Here’s Brianna and I on a night out with our other girlfriends that I documented on my trusty ‘corder. Fun fact: the skirt she’s wearing was mine, but it suited her better so now it lives with her back in Michigan.
Why did you choose to go to school in michigan?
Choosing to go to school in Michigan felt less like a decision and more like stepping into something I was always meant to do. My family has deep roots in Michigan with my grandparents having grown up there, and my dad attending college there as well. Growing up, we would visit Michigan every year, and those trips made it feel like a second home to me. Living there now feels like coming full circle, stepping into a path that was shaped by generations before me, while giving me the opportunity to find my own place in a state that has always held so much meaning for my family.
What are you in school for?
I’m currently pursuing a double major in psychology and criminology, driven by my curiosity of the human mind and the complexities of behavior. From a young age, I’ve been drawn to why people do what they do and how those experiences shape them. But even more than that, I’ve always had the desire to make a meaningful difference in the world, even if that means helping just one person. My dream of becoming a forensic psychologist isn’t just a career aspiration, it is what I truly believe I am meant to do with my life.
What is the most special part of being back home?
The most special part about coming back home is the immediate feeling of comfort and familiarity that is hard to put into words. (but I am going to try) It is a feeling of immediate peace. Every road from the airport to my house transports me right back to moments and laughter shared with the people I hold closest to my heart. Being home means being surrounded by the love and warmth that has helped shape the person I am today.
what’s the best movie that reminds you of home?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower has always held a special place in my heart because it captures so much of what home feels like to me. It is about growing up, navigating friendships, and finding your footing in a world that doesn’t always make perfect sense. It reminds me of the comfort and connection I carry with me, even when I am far away from my hometown and those I love.
What is the best part of our friendship for you?
The best part about my friendship with Willianny is its resilience. Together, we’ve navigated multiple friend groups, teenage hormones, and most recently the challenge of being 1,198 miles apart for most of the year. (This is the exact distance from her house to my apartment) She has been my anchor through some of the darkest moments of my life, offering love, laughter, and support when I needed it the most. She is the sun to my moon, the constant light that I strive to never take for granted. We may not always see eye to eye, but I cannot imagine a day without her in my life.
Thank you BP for answering my questions and for being my girl for all these years! I hope you have a great break from school and get to relax at home for a awhile. See you tomorrow night for Kasey Musgraves ❤
With love, Willianny
