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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

“To be loved is to be known” is a simple saying, but it’s one that I hold dear to my heart. It encapsulates a feeling that we all crave in any relationship. Who doesn’t want to be known, to be truly seen and understood by their friends, family, and partner?  

I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by, and a part of, relationships that exemplify this quote my entire life. To the people who have shown me what it means to be loved and known, this one’s for you. 

Mom and Dad 

My parents, married 34 years next month, have always been my favorite love story. When I think about them in light of this quote, one story in particular comes to mind. 

Christmas 2023, my mom tore the paper off a present from my dad and instantly burst into tears at the Henry Winkler biography sitting in her lap. Apparently, she had seen the book in a store the month prior and thought to herself that she would like to read it, but didn’t express that to anyone. My dad gives my mom wonderful presents every year, but this book about “The Fonz” served as a physical representation of my dad’s deep knowledge and love for my mom, and it literally overwhelmed her with emotion.  

Allie, Emily, Grace, Keli, Cassy and Rylie 

There are few ways to better get to know someone than living with them. My roommates and I have spent years cultivating a relationship that makes us quick to say things like, “you’re not going to like that” or “this would look really good on you.” I know their food preferences, their good side for photos, their schedules, their fears, their drink orders, their comfort shows and everything in between. And every day I am reminded they know all of this about me, too. Living with my best friends is a constant cycle of showing each other how much we love and know one another.  

Carter Black 

Carter and I only got to live with each other for one semester, but that semester grew our knowledge of each other, and thus our friendship, exponentially. Over the summer, I stopped in a dollar tree for some decorations for my room and instead ended up leaving with only one thing: a metal sign that I knew Carter would want. A few weeks down the line, Carter texted me that he had gone shopping in a Goodwill for decorations for his room, and he left with a present for me. We not only had the same experience, but our small, silly presents for each other were such perfect tokens of the fact that we truly get each other.  

Hayden 

There isn’t a day that goes by where Hayden doesn’t prove to me in some gesture how well he knows me. Whether it’s making sure his ketchup doesn’t touch my fries when we share, recognizing any of my emotions just through my expression, buying me silver jewelry instead of gold without even having to ask, skipping the Shaboozey songs when I let him play his country playlist and all the little things in between. Sometimes he knows me better than I know myself, like when he randomly told me one day that he was shocked I wasn’t a member of Her Campus, without knowing I had been on the fence about joining. Thanks, Hayden, for being a big part of why I’m even writing this article in the first place!  

Claire 

Claire and I quote “to be loved is to be known” at each other constantly. It’s rare in life to find someone who you feel like truly gets every single part of you, but I have been so blessed to find that in Claire. I know that when I tell Claire something, she is going to give me the exact response that I am looking for because she knows what I both want and need to hear. One look through our TikTok messages will show you that we perceive each other on an in-depth level.  

To everyone that I mentioned here, and everyone that I didn’t have the space to include, thank you for making me feel seen and understood. To be loved is to be known, and you all remind me of that every single day.  

Natalie, or Nat as most know her, is a new member of Her Campus at SBU! This is her first year in the chapter, and she looks forward to using Her Campus as a way to express herself and rediscover her former love for writing. In May 2024, Natalie graduated with her bachelor's in history with minors in political science and Spanish from St. Bonaventure after three years. She is continuing her education and receiving her master's in adolescence education during what would be her senior year. As an undergrad, she was President of College Democrats, involved in University Ministries and held two jobs on campus. She is currently working as a graduate assistant with the student success center, teaching a FRES 100 class to 14 freshmen and meeting with them each week to help ensure their success in college. Outside of her professional career, Natalie enjoys anything that involves breakfast and coffee. She can talk anyone's ear off for hours on end, and frequently does so with her best friends. Her passions include anything to do with the city of Buffalo (go Bills), politics, her study abroad experience in Oxford, England and her early 2000s camcorder.