Kool Cheyenne

Cheyenne Victoria Bartelt is quite the character. She grew up in Belvidere Illinois with her cat named Dog and her dog named Kilo. She has another dog... but Kilo is her favorite. Cheyenne is passionate about the environment and even helped plan and lead a Climate Strike on our Augustana campus. She studies Geology, Geography, and Environmental Studies.

Cheyenne and her little brother Niko bond over silly videos and cheerleading. She has cheered for 9 years and that is where she first saw me: Augustana College 2018-2019 Cheerleading tryouts.

"Damn this girl is LOUD, like a fun loud," Cheyenne thought.

It wasn't until we both made the team and we were put in the same stunt group that we actually met. Cheyenne and I became teammates. Now it's not like we had some instant connection because we both did cheerleading, no. Cheyenne and I were not really close until basketball season. You see, the girl who choreographed our dance for football season was going to be studying abroad in Australia. So I had asked our coach if I could choreograph the dance for basketball season. She said yes.

I knew Cheyenne had been cheering for just as long as I have if not- longer, so I asked her if she wanted to work on it together. This was the first time I ever hung out with Cheyenne. It was my first time being in her room. We were both very cautious. Neither of us wanted to step on each other toes and we both supported each others ideas. This dance was the beginning of an amazing friendship.

As the basketball season went on, Cheyenne and I bonded over many things. One being our weekly workouts for cheer. We would go to the Zumba class on campus religiously! Every Tuesday and Thursday we were there, front row, ready to dance! We also bonded because we had a little friend group.

This friend group consisted of the two of us and two boy best friends, Bobby and Dejan. How we met Bobby and Dejan is a whole nother story. But, we would often hang out with them, get lunch or dinner, and just be goofy.

Through cheering at basketball games, getting food together in the CSL and zumba, Cheyenne and I spent more and more time together.Whether it was ️having a movie night, game night, or going out, Kool Cheyenne and I became great friends. It got to the point where I would come home from work and she would be doing her homework, waiting for me in my room!

Cheyenne knew I was in the fall musical at Augie and so when auditions for the spring musical came around, Cheyenne said to me,

"Let's audition for the musical on the same day"

I remember laughing and explaining that I wasn't going to audition because I can't sing. Cheyenne didn't like that answer and convinced me to do it. So we both auditioned together and were in the musical. Cheyenne as a featured dancer and me a narrator.

Rush season came along and at the time, we were both thinking about different sororities. However, after going in with an open mind, rushing, and trusting the process, we both preffed what we thought would be our home. I had gotten a bid to join the Lovely Ladies of Phi Rho and posted a picture on my snapchat story. I was very excited because I knew Cheyenne had preffed the same. Just minutes after my post, I heard pounding coming from down the hallway. You see, Cheyenne had lived in J wing which was across the entire Westerlin dorm. I lived in I wing, on the third floor. That pounding down the hall was the sound of Kool Cheyenne sprinting from her dorm to mine because she also got a bid to Phi Rho. She knew we were going to be sisters and she thought,

"I need to go tell Michelle we're sisters!"

So first we were teammates, then friends, cast-mates, and sisters. Between rehearsals, cheerleading practice, and pledging, we had been spending a lot of time together. Somewhere in between all that we made a joint instagram account @koolqueenz. (Follow it!) But it wasn't until one day, March 10, 2019, walking home together that we became best friends. I had just snapchatted Dejan a picture of Chey and me. He replied with a picture of Bobby and him with the caption,

"Is Cheyenne your Bobby?"

nIt was then that both Cheyenne and I realized we indeed were best friends. She was the Bobby to my Dejan

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As the year continued, Cheyenne and I became excited as we planned to be roommates. Through a summer filled with concerts, road trips, and giant zucchinis, we had a blast of fun.

If you ask our friends they'll say,

"Kool Cheyenne is...

...inspiring, the best person I've ever met." -Hannah Weber

...the most vibrant and beautiful ray of sunshine that I have ever met in my life." -Bela Costa

...one of the most talented and intelligent individuals i've ever had the pleasure of being friends with." -Brycen Witt

...the light of my life! She always puts a smile on my face and makes my heart feel full! Best little EVER!" -Sabrina Massa

...the most positive and kind-hearted person I know." -Bobby Christel

...the one who always knows how to make me smile. No matter what mood I'm in she brightens my days with all kinds of crazy adventures and memories we have made." -Emma Ganaway

...incredibly caring and funny, as she puts others ahead of herself and always strives to make others happy." -Andy Baxter

...an amazing person with a huge heart and so many talents. If she is passionate about something there is no stopping her. She is my sunflower." -Carrie (Cheyenne's Mom)

and if you ask me, Kool Cheyenne is one of my very best friends. She is passionate, caring, and always putting others before herself. She's the 80 when I'm at a 20 and she'll always have my back. Through thick and thin Chey has always been there for me, even when I push her away because she's got the sniffles and I don't want to get sick. Always down to get Qdoba, play sand volleyball, or dance the night away. Cheyenne is the koolest kid out there.