My post this week is a tad late because I was fittingly distracted
doing the things I love (see #1, #2, #5, #6 and #7). This left me with much
inspiration for writing this post, but also at a loss for how to convey it.
I’ve decided to present you with a quick list of things to do to get to know
me. This allows me to share my interests with you while also perhaps being a
helpful resource for the people in the area I hope to cross paths with this
summer. So, without further ado, I present to you How to Get to Know Kayleigh
DeBruyne: A Checklist.
1. Introduce yourself.
While
it varies depending on the environment, my natural tendency in a group is to be
a reflective observer, which means I am often more comfortable stepping back a
bit and watching what is happening around me. Yet, sometimes people interpret
this as being shy or removed, but I am quite the opposite. There are few things
I love more than meeting new people. I just thrive best in smaller, one-on-one
conversations, but I really do want to meet you.
2. Tell me something you think is neat.
My family’s nickname for me until middle school was Kay-pedia, because I
would literally read 900 page “bathroom reader” fact books for fun and would
interrupt our dinner conversations with the random facts I had learned that
day. I was also the kid who came home from school and proceeded to play school
with her friends (of both the human and stuffed animal variety), because I
thought school and learning was the most fun activity I could possibly do and
did not want it to end. Nowadays, I still love to learn and am always open to
gaining more knowledge, but I’ve wisely realized that even more learning
happens outside a classroom and in many shapes and forms. So rather than
lugging my fact book around (900 page books are heavy!), I would much rather
you share a fun fact, because I love to know what you find fascinating.
3. Ask me about my dog.
I love my dog. Even if you don’t want to hear about how wonderful I think
he is, ask me about the other people, places and things I love. This is the
best way to get me talking. I tend to steer the conversation away from me and
ask questions about you, but I am happy to tell you how neat I think the things
my friends are doing are, how proud I am of my siblings, or my favorite things
about my family that might enlighten you on who I am today and why.
4. Show me something you love.
Be
it a song, a picture, a book, a restaurant, a funny video, your best friend, a
place in the woods or your favorite pair of boots. I love to see what makes you
happy. There is something so incredible in those moments of being able to share
something you love. Like the look of anticipation on someone’s face when they
put their earbuds in my ears and tell me this is their favorite song and wait
to see how I react. Or the joy I feel when we turn around the bend on a scenic
car ride and they tell me excitedly that this is their favorite viewpoint in
their town. I get to experience a little piece of what makes you happy and
seeing people in little moments of joy is precious to me. I enjoy getting to
know people and creating meaningful relationships and sharing what you love
allows me to do that.
5. Cook, bake or drink tea with me.
In the first few months of college, a time when we were all desperately
trying to find friends, one of my favorite things to do was bring people to my
kitchen. If there was someone that seemed friendly and caught my interest
(probably for doing one of the items in this list), I would invite them over to
have tea, bake cookies or cook a meal. The “kitchen test” of friendship. Being
raised in a family that strongly valued having family dinners every night,
preparing and sharing food together is one of my favorite activities and a
central part of building community for me. You’ll learn how messy of a cook I
am, to double the recipe for baked goods because I will eat half the batter
raw, that I will sing at the top of my lungs with abandonment, and that I love
the way different teas have gloriously rich hues, which is why my glass mug is
my favorite. Besides that, good eats are one of life’s greatest pleasures and I
will always make time to sit and enjoy food with you.
6. Take me on an adventure.
This
can be by telling me about your whirlwind day, taking me to the corner of the
street to see a spider web you noticed, going camping or traveling halfway
across the world. I have an insatiable curiosity (shout out to my loyal readers
who already know this about me from last week) and for me, this goes hand in
hand with exploration. If you are curious you will inevitably explore and
adventure. I enjoy traveling and discovering new places but I also love
discovering new things in old places. Adventuring together and seeing the world
in the eyes of someone else is a great way to do both.
7. Take me to the water.
Second best, just take me anywhere outside. I could have put this under
take me on an adventure, but it is so important to me that it deserves it’s own
category. Seriously, if you take me somewhere gorgeous outside I will probably
want to be your best friend. As a kid, I always loved digging up worms
alongside my mom while she gardened and I was lucky enough to live near lakes
and spend countless hours swimming. Then, in high school I went to Conserve
School, a semester school with a focus on environmental stewardship. I learned
how nature can be fun and beautiful, but also discovered it’s incredible power
to ground me and calm me despite the stress and busyness of our lives. Later, I
went on to work four summers at Camp Manito-wish as a leadership facilitator
and leading canoeing trips. I fell more in love with being near the water and
gained a further understanding of the power that comes from transferring
lessons from outdoor experiences to our everyday lives as well. I am my
happiest self outside and near the water and I am grateful to have had these
experiences there that have shaped who I am and what I consider important.
8. Stay up all night and watch the stars with
me.
Yes,
I do just love to stargaze and I don’t care if it is too cheesy to say. I am a
night owl who loves to be outside. But more so, stay up with me and learn about
what keeps me up at night. The anxieties I have about the future, how
frustratingly good I am at over-thinking everything, how deeply I feel concerned
about the status of our planet and the people who will be most affected by
changes. Stay up and learn how confused I am at times on what to do about it
all. Stay up, ask questions, and have a good conversation with me.
I’ll stop at 8 because that is my favorite number. A not
quite comprehensive list, but a good start. These are some of my favorite
things. If you boil it down, they all revolve around building relationships,
sharing stories and creating communities, grounded in a deep love for the
outdoors and a tenacious curiosity. These affinities of mine are what led me to
the LAKES program and my research this summer. Meeting the folks in the
watershed, collecting their stories and working with the goal to help protect
and improve our environment inspires me and keeps me motivated. In return I am
working to learn what people here love and do and what inspires and motivates them. In
doing so I strive to make connections between our passions and our pursuit of
improving the community and the environment. I hope to engage in all of these
favorites listed above during my remaining time here as I continue to explore
and learn through them.
Peace on the Waterways.
#2, #6, and #7 in practice
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