Several students on campus shared the love they had for their grandparents in honor of National Grandparent’s Day that was on Sunday.

Jessica Craig, a junior special education major, said she would describe her grandparents, William and Diane Lacoco, fondly.

“My grandma was Polish, so she was always making us food; she was always giving us snacks and stuff like that. She always had those little caramel candies,” Craig said. “My grandpa, he’s a funny guy. He’s Italian, so he’s really stuck in his ways and stubborn sometimes. He likes to tell us stories about work and when he was younger.”

Nicole Severson, a junior corporate communications major, said she communicates frequently with her grandparents while in college.

“We have a whole family group chat that we text, and we’ll send pictures of what we’re doing and what we’re involved with,” Severson said. “My grandparents will send little packages.”

Sonia Badash, a freshman mathematics and computer sciences major, said she tries to visit and call as often as she can.

“I try and communicate with (my grandmother) when I’m (at Eastern),” Badash said. “I try to visit when she’s at my house and let her know ‘I’m OK, everything is great (in college).’”

Craig said she and her grandpa are still really close despite the distance.

“I text him everyday, or he texts me everyday, and we talk about what’s going on and stuff like that,” she said. “I ask how he’s doing and (he asks me) stuff that’s going on over here. I’m his favorite (grandchild).”

Severson said she loves the holiday traditions she has with her grandmother.

“At Christmas, (my grandmother and I) make a gingerbread village every year. My freshman year, my grandma sent me a gingerbread making kit and so all the girls in my dorm all made gingerbread villages and we set it up in my window,” she said. “Those kinds of things are always fun to go back home and do with my family.”

Craig said Christmas marks the start of a lot of family time for her and her grandparents.

“Christmas is always a big time, we all get together,” she said. “My grandpa’s birthday is two days after Christmas, so even if we were just over at his house or if he was over at ours we always go back to be with him on his birthday.”

Caroline Hochmuth, a junior psychology major, said Christmas was an important time for her grandmothers as well, both of whom have passed away, which has left the holiday season feeling quieter.

“We always used to go to (my grandmother’s) for Christmas, which was always really nice,” Hochmuth said. “It’s weird now because we don’t; the house is sold, nobody lives out there anymore, it’s so strange.”

Badash said her favorite memory of her grandmother is when she visits Badash’s house.

“She lives in downtown Chicago, so it’s hard for her to travel down,” she said. “Even though it’s so hard for her, she manages to visit me.”

Hochmuth said her grandmother, Marilyn Hochmuth, almost inspired her future career choice.

“I wanted to be a teacher for the longest time because of my one grandma. That didn’t last very long, but I followed down that path,” she said. “My one cousin actually did; now she teaches third grade and she followed in my grandma’s footsteps, which is really cool.”

Severson said her grandpa taught her the importance of thinking optimistically.

“My grandpa’s always told me that if you have a positive attitude about something, then you’re going to do well, and if you don’t have a positive attitude, you won’t,” she said. “So whenever I’m about to go in to a test or to give a speech, I always tell myself I’m going to do great, and then I do well. Just (have) a positive outlook on life.”

Badash said she learned lessons about hard work from watching and listening to her grandparents.

“Nothing in life comes easy, and if you want something in life you have to work hard for it,” Badash said her grandparents taught her.

Hochmuth said she missed her grandmothers, and she didn’t take them seriously enough when she was younger.

“(My grandmothers) were a lot smarter than I thought they were when I was little,” she said.

Craig said her grandpa continues to be her best friend.

“My grandpa’s my favorite person,” she said. “I’m his favorite, and he’s my favorite.”

Severson said her grandparents are a big part of her life, and she continues to be close with them.

“My grandparents are my best friends,” she said. “They’re like my parents, but better.”

Brooke Schwartz can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].