Nia Bailwad
Dancer, creator, and one of my good friends. We talk across two separate chats -- one for life, one for her dance and creator world. Nia is one of those people who's always making something -- dance reels, content, performances -- and that creative drive resonates with me deeply because I'm doing the same thing on the tech side.
How We Met
We connected through the same school circle. She was part of the OG Halloween gang, the drama club crew -- all those group chats that held our social lives together. Over time the friendship grew, especially once we started having regular calls and real conversations beyond just the group chat noise.
The Call Culture
Me and Nia are phone call people. "Come on call" is basically our catchphrase. Sometimes it's for something specific, sometimes it's just to talk. "Letssssss fricking go like as you come from school I am calling you" -- that's the energy. The second one of us is free, we're on the phone. When things get intense or genuinely scary -- "It's so flipping scary" scary -- being able to talk it through in real time instead of just texting makes everything more manageable. Texts can wait. Calls can't. That's our thing.
There's something about voice that adds a layer text can't replicate. You can hear when someone's actually okay versus when they're saying "I'm fine" while clearly not being fine. Nia and I have that -- the ability to read each other through tone alone.
The Creator Side
Having a whole separate chat just for her dancer/creator stuff shows how seriously Nia takes it. She posts dance reels, works on performances, and treats her creative output like a craft. I respect that grind because I know what it's like to pour yourself into something -- mine just happens to be apps and startups instead of choreography. Different lanes, same dedication. We push each other by example -- seeing her work hard on her art makes me want to work harder on mine, and I think it goes both ways.
What Nia Means to Me
Nia bridges two sides of my life. She's connected to the memories -- the Halloween events, the drama club, the groups that made those years special. But she's also very much part of my present -- the calls after school, the real-time support, the creative energy that keeps things interesting. Not many people span both eras of my life like that.
Two separate chats. One for life, one for art. Both equally important.
See Also
- Aliyah Chopra -- drama club connection
- Tahirah