We Are Mosaics: Stitched Together by Hoodies, Hugs, and Unspoken Sisterhood

July 8, 2025
Samantha Burtman

Alpharetta, Georgia, United States

Class of 2028

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BBGs are not perfectly polished mirrors. We are fragments, tumbles, and chipped ceramics all pressed together to create something truly beautiful, a mosaic. 

It’s in the smallest, most unexpected moments that sisterhood reveals itself not always through words or planned programs, but in the quiet ways we look out for each other. Sometimes, it shows up in a glance, a shared snack, or a borrowed pen. And sometimes, it shows up when you're cold and unsure, still learning what it means to belong.

At my first-ever convention, I was oblivious to how to pack. Little did I know that it would be freezing. In my duffle bag, I packed two T-shirts and a pair of PJs. I was left shivering on the way to breakfast. An older BBG noticed and left a hoodie on my bunk; it smelled like sweet perfume, and it was perfectly oversized. I will never forget the feeling of being seen, of that sense of belonging. Now, I never forget to pack an extra hoodie just in case, there was another BBG who wasn't quite sure how to pack, who also felt oblivious. 

It was a day before my election, let's just say I was scared out of my mind. I received a text from an older BBG, “Do you have any pins for your elections … actually, I will just bring you some anyway.” My heart jumped reading that text. The truth was, I didn't even know we were supposed to wear pins. Having those pins on my blue dress while reciting the speech I worked on for days made me feel so overwhelmed with joy. Someone thought of me. Someone took time out of their day to dig through their box of BBYO pins and find me the perfect one. Although I haven’t been to an election since, that moment stayed with me. A simple act of kindness that made all the difference. Now, I want to be that person for someone younger, to notice the little things, to offer support quietly and generously, so they too can feel seen and lifted when it matters most.

I will always have open arms after a separates, because coming from a deep-feeler, I understand how separations can feel like a personal attack, a “cut the cameras” moment, because sometimes they hit so accurately it’s hard not to take it personally. I remember the pit in my stomach and the tears rolling down my face after participating in a separates that hit close to home, after a hard week. My now-best friend gave me a hug I’ll never forget. We stood there for what felt like forever, wrapped in quiet, like the world paused just long enough for me to breathe again. She didn’t know it, but that hug saved my whole week. And now, I carry that moment with me, a reminder to do the same, to show up, and to hold space for my BBGs the way she did for me

We are mosaics of each other, glued together by pins passed down, lyrics shouted out of tune, and giggles at 3 am. In BBYO, it’s not the big moments that stay with us, but the quiet ones, the “Goodnight, love you” after meeting that person a few hours before, and the whisper of “I saved you a seat.” That love gets passed like a flame. They’re easy to miss, but impossible to forget. And the most beautiful part? Without even realizing it, we pass them on one hoodie, one seat, one hand squeezed at a time. Together, BBGs become a beautiful mosaic of each other. 

Samantha Burtman is a BBG from GAR and is Morah of her chapter!

All views expressed on content written for The Shofar represent the opinions and thoughts of the individual authors. The author biography represents the author at the time in which they were in BBYO.

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