My life is like my name, Karen Marie Herbert, crude, blunt, and strong. In a nutshell, some might call my life a harsh reality, where others might say I’m blessed. I know exactly where I want to go and who I want with me. I can tell almost anyone what they want to know about me, like my favorite color is pink. And how I love the taste of baked macaroni pie with all the right spices, my intense need for organization and perfection, and my passion for writing and teaching. But then there are the things that I can’t quite explain, the things that go unsaid but are understood. Like the relationships in my life that seems so unimportant, and so nonexistent, that I look over their worth. But we need everyone who’s in our lives, like our teachers, advisors, classmates, suitemates, friends, sisters, mentors, because we don’t realize how much they affect us, so we bypass them. I want to shed light on the people in my life that people tend to devalue in theirs. I can show everyone their worth and the roles they play in their communities, and it would also show people how reliant they are on others. I want to help people open up and talk to the people in their lives, and start by saying “Because I need you…” and list all the reasons their role, however big or small, is important.
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About the Author:
Karen H. Class of 2019 Major: Intended - English Minor: Spanish Biology Spring 2016 Blog Theme: Because I Need You
Valentine’s Day is over but that does not mean that love ceases. Monday, February 22 – Friday, February 26, you will be able to show appreciation for the various people in your life who help you to pursue your goals. Project MyStory Blogger, Karen Herbert will be visiting every quad from 5pm-7pm with postcards in hand for you to write your words of thanks. Lee McPeters will also be there on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday to take “video cards” that we will post on our YouTube page. Think about the people in your life who often go unnoticed and get ready to show them some love!
person in their lives. And for the first time, I had my own little person. She was this unique shell that everyone got to see and play with, but I knew all the secrets about her because I was there. I was and am a part of something big. Even when she bothers me, there is this unconditional, parental, best friend, sibling type of love.
Entering UAlbany, I knew one of the sources of food on campus was the dining hall. When I first came, I would always go there with my friends because it was nice to see all the new faces on campus. Overtime as it got colder and less people started going outside including myself, it made me realize how tired I was of eating the same thing. The more frequently I went, the more acquainted I became with the staff. Over the course of two semesters, I became on a first-name basis with some of the staff. They would always greet me with a “good morning,” “good afternoon,” or just a general “hello”. When I first meant the dining staff, many of them were welcoming and always had a smile on their face. It would make my day early in the morning when they would say “good morning” because I’m usually tired and grumpy but that does brighten my day and helps motivate me to push through my classes for the next few hours. When I would go in-between classes and I felt like I just wanted to go to my room to take a nap, they would make conversations with me. Often, they would ask about my day and genuinely sound interested in how/what I am doing. They do not ever know what is going on within my day or how I am feeling but they always find a way to make me feel special. 
Becoming a part of the Project MyStory experience was an amazing experience. I was able to do a lot of self-reflecting and really focus on the relationships I have with people in my life. I have always been independent and when it came to brainstorming ideas, I would try to figure it out for myself. As I got more involved with Project MyStory and we had our monthly meetings, I felt myself getting more comfortable with my group. I began to see the importance of interacting with others and not being so close-minded because I got to bounce my ideas off of other people. I usually don’t like to because, I like to sit and be focused without distractions. However, I loved sitting and talking with them because even if what I had to say did not really relate, they listened and gave me feedback. They helped me realize, how much more I can do, I just have to put myself forward. And I appreciated Asha, Joe, Lee, Simonti, Kate, and Rachel for being a part of this journey with me. I really hope my readers self-reflect and that I encouraged them to open-up, as I did.
When I planned my events for my theme, ‘Because I Need You’, it was sudden and I had enough time to prepare for it although it was quick. This was the second month of classes and I had not really gotten to talk to my peers and know them on a level outside of ‘work mode’. Honestly, I was struggling a bit, between getting everything together, my job, six classes, and working up the nerve to approach people to talk to them about my event. It touched my heart that my friend, Lee, who I met through Project MyStory, came to my events and he supported me. He didn’t really have to help me, and I was a little shocked, because I wasn’t expecting it. Little does he know, having that bit of support pushed me to do it more, because I was no longer just doing for myself but I was also doing it for all my friends who came out and had my back. I wanted people to know about my event and participate, I just got a little shy, and it felt good to know that he had my back. I will forever consider him a 
friend, because while I was encouraging others to express how much they needed the people in their lives, I wasn’t even acknowledging the people in mine. I just want to thank you Lee for being there for me and being a good friend, because I need you.
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