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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Lutheran chapter.

Every year, there are many things that I am thankful for. My family, my friends, my health, but this year, I am especially grateful for my tia Astrid.  

Let me give you a quick little summary of who my tia is. She is one of the strongest people that you will ever meet. She raised two kids all by herself. She is the co-owner of a restaurant, coffee shop, and sports bar and the owner of her own party store. She is honestly the ideal “strong, independent woman” that everyone talks about. She is always making everyone laugh, and she is always caring for everyone. She took me in when she didn’t have to, and she supports me with everything I do. In high school, she was always there for my band concerts, she was there for when I received my scholarships and awards, and she was there when I received my acceptance letter to Cal Lutheran. Overall, she is the sweetest, most amazing person you could ever meet. 

Now let me tell you why I am super thankful for my tia. On January 29, 2014, my mother passed away. I won’t get into a lot of detail because that is another story to be told, but throughout everything, my tia was the one there for me. As you guys read in my article before, my dad was deported, so I really had nowhere to go. However, my tia decided to take me in. She didn’t have to, but she did. 

I would be lying if I told you that it was an easy transition, because it was not. I had to learn everything about her; her likes, her dislikes, how I needed to ask her if I wanted to go somewhere, what my new curfew was, what my limits where, basically everything. There were many times where I would mess up and I would lose her trust, but one thing I liked about my tia was how her lectures were life changing. By that I mean, she would really make me think about my mistakes and make me realize that “oh crap, I did mess up;” and truthfully, because of this, I was able to mature more quickly. 

My tia really helped me become the person I am today. She has helped me realize what my values were, and that has helped me so much throughout my life. When I told her that I wanted to come to Cal Lutheran, she was a little hesitant at first, but she understood why I wanted to attend CLU. She understood how important school was for me and why going to a University meant the most to me. She understood that it was a dream both my mom and I had, and she wanted to help me reach that dream. 

Sometimes, it gets really hard. Either school gets too hard, or I just miss home. But I know that I can call my tia and she will know exactly what to say to make me feel better. I know that I can count on her for anything and no matter what, she will always be rooting for me anywhere I go. I know that my mom and God definitely sends angels along my way, and I know that my aunt is one of the angels that she sent to keep an eye on me. She is the biggest blessing in my life and for that, I am super thankful to have her in my life. 

Karyme is in her third year at Cal Lutheran double-majoring in Criminal Justice and Psychology with a double minor in Spanish and Communications. Besides being a part of Her Campus, she is also part of ASCLUG, President for Together WE DREAM, Vice President for LASO, Pre-Law Treasurer, a Presidential Host Leader, Peer Advisor, and a Student Ambassador. Her hobbies include photography, writing, painting, and binge watching series, especially Shane Dawson's documentaries.