Olivia and I have known each other literally since we were babies in diapers. We are cousins and no one can tell us otherwise. We aren’t blood related but our families have been celebrating holidays together since we could remember. Olivia and I were the best of friends anytime our families were together for holidays or family trips. There are so many pictures of us from that time and it makes me wish that we had grown up in the same town. But I am very grateful for having moved out to LA so we could rekindle our relationship. In 2018 I moved out to LA where she lived and honestly it was like time hadn’t passed other than now we can drink and party together. I am a home body, if you didn’t already know, and Olivia was always, and still is, ready to go out and have a good time. She showed me all the fun and cool places and introduced me to her friends. We had so much fun while I was out there. Then in 2020 I moved back home to TN and she eventually moved out to Maine for school with her boyfriend. We stayed connected and once it was safe again we visited family in Miami and had so much fun.

Olivia is one of the smartest people I know, seriously. She may be the life of the party but she is also the smartest person in the room. Not that that is shocking at all with how much work she puts into her goals and ideas. But she also expects that of the people around her in her life. She sees potential in people and wants them to succeed at their highest level because she knows they can. Olivia has been one of the biggest motivators in my life over the past couple of years, from pulling me out of my shell on to the dance floor on nights out to encouraging me to go after my dreams and keep pushing even when they seem silly and unachievable to me.

On top of that she has been the person in my life pushing me to prioritize my mental health above all else. I’ve struggle a lot like a lot of other people have and maybe it’s because it’s something she studies or maybe she knows me that well but she has always pushed me to get to know myself better and talk to professionals about what is going on, and at no point was there ever judgement or critique on how I handled things. She is gentle and kindness at it’s purest form. Which makes me know that she will be the best OT for children, elderly or any one that is in need of her specialty.

Olivia is incredible and I am so lucky to have her in my life and I can’t wait to grow old and host family gathering forever with her. I’ll let you see how great she is in this conversation…