A sweet, tropical aroma floated from their kitchen and around through the neighborhood as sophomore Elise Waheed sculpted a delicious dessert with her mother. For Waheed, daily quality time is a treasured aspect of her relationship with her mother. Sometimes it’s just relaxing, but other times, it’s spending time in the kitchen.

“I love [it] whenever we cook together. Recently, we made a Floating Island dessert. She helped me with that, and it was delicious. We always prepare meals together, and I love getting to spend that extra time with her at home, because it’s just us two, and it’s just so calming and rejuvenating,” Waheed said.

While their time in the kitchen is about relaxation, Waheed’s mother’s influence also extends to the competitive world of Science Olympiad and HOSA.

“I learned to be driven. How to desire, to succeed and be independent. I remember in sixth grade, we took a look at the list of clubs offered by Wydown, and she suggested I check out Science Olympiad just to see what it was about. I was reluctant, but I am so grateful that I discovered it. This is my fifth year doing Science Olympiad, and I got to meet so many new people and learn about fun things that I otherwise would have missed out on,” Waheed said.

Though Waheed’s mom encourages her to be successful, she also balances care and connection with her daughter. From the big to the small, she makes sure that Waheed cannot doubt how much she cares.

“She encourages me to go seek new opportunities and try new things, but also makes sure I have what I need to be able to achieve any of my goals. I am extremely grateful because she supports me in whatever I choose to do, in any way she can. Whether she drives me 200 miles from one competition to another, or buys my favorite snacks so I can have a treat while I study, I appreciate everything she does for me,” Waheed said.

Waheed and her mother had very starkly different lives growing up, with Waheed’s mother going through rigorous examinations throughout high school. Despite this, Elise is still able to connect with her mother when doing homework.

“Whenever I’m trying to study, working on something, reviewing, she’ll always just kind of come over sometimes and just take a look to see what I’m doing. It’s really great when she’s there to help me,” Waheed said. “It’s interesting to hear about her life before she moved to the U.S., and she’s really inspiring. When she was in high school, they didn’t have electives, since the subjects for students were decided by the major. No fun clubs and opportunities to compete with other schools, no school sport teams. They had to wear uniforms and adhere to a strict code of conduct. It was the accepted norm. The high school system was very competitive for highly ranked schools. I don’t get how she does everything that she does.”

This Mother’s Day, Waheed plans to spend a special day hanging out with her mom, even if it does not follow convention.

“I’ll probably focus more that day, spending time with her, because that’s really precious to both of us, spending time with one another,” Waheed said. “So, whether it’s walking the dogs with her—because then we just get to talk as well—or cooking together, or just sitting in the same room, I know she appreciates [it]. Because she doesn’t always want flowers or cards or cake, but it’s those things that I know she specifically loves.”