HUMANS OF BELLAIRE – Maya Randle

“My favorite childhood memory would be playing hide-and-go-seek with my brothers and sisters. I remember we used to hide inside this one closet in the back of the house. Every time I would get caught, I would say, ‘I’m not even playing the game anyways,’ just being a sore loser. We played for a long time. It’s something that I carry with me because it’s a memory that I have with my brothers and sisters that we all share together.

“When I first went to high school, I was childish. I didn’t really care about what I did. I was just living life, you know? As I got older, I was like, ‘Okay, now we’re about to get into 12th grade and go to college. I’ve got to start maturing.’ It’s really focusing in my mind that ‘Wow, we’re about to be adults. I’m about to go out into the real world and go to college. I’m not going to be at home anymore.’ I have to really do stuff to stand on my own two feet. 

I’m going to Lamar University. I plan on majoring in nursing and [becoming] a pediatric nurse. When I go to college, I plan on being outspoken, having my own voice and not second guessing myself. I plan on putting myself first.

I’m scared, but I’m ready to be on my own adventure and see the world with my own eyes without someone on each side of my ears telling me how to do this and that. I want to be able to make my own failures and make my own accomplishments by myself. 

I’ve played the violin for about seven years. It made me actually focus because when you play the violin, you have to focus on the music, and you actually have to learn the music and memorize the notes, the rhythm and everything else. Ms. Reynosa’s been my orchestra instructor for all four years. There’s been times I have been emotional in her class or I have needed help or something, and she’s always been there for me whenever I need her. She’s always a bubbly person. Every time I see her she has a smile on her face.

I hope people remember me as a fun, outgoing person who always has a smile on her face, recording everything and taking pictures. I love talking to people, making new friends, cracking jokes and laughing with everyone. You probably see me every time you walk in the hallway talking to somebody new. I have a lot of love. I like being the person who can just make people happy.

I want to thank my teachers for being there for me and encouraging me to push myself out there more. They determined who I am as a person, what I learned and how I got to do things. I would also like to thank Ms. Brownfield. She’s my English teacher from last year. She made a big impact on my life based on the books she had us read last year. She [brought] more knowledge to me than any other teacher I’ve had my whole life. She was there for me. She made me laugh. To this day, she still is nice to me. She sees me in the hallway and still gives me hugs. She makes sure to tell me ‘My class door’s always open.’ She’s always there if I need to hug, if I need to cry, if I need to laugh, and I love her for that.”