Best friends Emma Richards and Megan Wynne attribute the success of their strong friendship to being neighbors which they believe solidified their friendship. 

Both girls live on Brookside Terrace in Verona, a community-based street. Megan has lived on the street her whole life, while Emma moved there two and a half years ago. 

Emma, who had never seen the ocean until she was thirteen, moved to Verona from Indiana. This was a big step for her because New Jersey is very different. Back in Newburgh, Indiana there was no accessible public transportation or sidewalks, and it was more polluted than New Jersey. She loves the community here in Verona, as it was something she lacked in Indiana, where there were no public gathering locations.

The families connected when Emma’s mom knocked on Megan’s door and asked her mom for information about the street and town. Emma’s mom was house shopping and chose their house because of their minivan and sports signs. Their moms instantly became friends, and they introduced Megan and Emma to each other. The rest is history.

Megan thought Emma was nice, quiet, and didn’t want to be in Verona when they first met. Megan impressed Emma with her friendliness and helpfulness.

Emma dreaded moving, and she had no idea where New Jersey even was on the map. Her first impression of New Jersey was when she first arrived at the Newark airport and found it overwhelming. Now in Verona, she finds it quaint and she feels more adjusted to the environment. 

The girls describe their friendship as “unbreakable.” They have fun sledding and doing other activities together. They are both members of the VHS band, and Pit is one of their favorite memories from their time together. They also enjoy going to the pool, playing Mario Kart, Foursquare, and ping pong with one another.

“Emma needed a friend because she just moved here, and I just lost a friend so it was kind of perfect,” Megan says. 

Megan is fun, stylish, and brightens up whatever space she enters. She enjoys track and field hockey, as well as reading and socializing with her friends. Even if she does not take that subject, she still helps her friends with chemistry and Emma with her assignments. She motivates and inspires everyone around her.

Emma loves to play with her cats Willow and Oliver, as well as her dogs Snoopy and Katie. Her smile and laugh are contagious. She works extremely hard and is always successful at what she does. She has lived in three states throughout her life: Indiana, Missouri, and now New Jersey.

Megan seeks in a friend someone who complements her and is similar to her, but also has different interests. Emma seeks someone who includes others, is nice, open-minded, and interested in her hobbies.

“Megan has heightened my expectations for a new friendship. She always makes me laugh and is constantly supportive and amazing,” Emma gushes. 

Both girls are straight-A students who prefer night time and despise the sound of loud chewing and tapping. They both enjoy the book and film series To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, as well as the musical Waitress. They are both artistic and enjoy making cute tiny clay objects.

They both agree to possibly be roomies in ten years and say that without their other half, there would be an empty hole in their lives. 

 “If she hadn’t moved here, we would probably not be friends, so living on Brookside Terrace brought us together,” Megan stated. 

Brookside Terrace has also brought their large families together. Megan has three siblings and Emma has four. When passing their houses, you can see the families together constantly, and in the summer, they are at the pool together every day.

“All the best people live on Brookside Terrace,” Emma exclaimed.