The concept of a “work bestie” is a relatively common concept. For some, that relationship may not extend outside of work, but for Anna Wesolik, AP Physics teacher, and Laura Cohen, AP Biology teacher, their friendship has become more than just an in-school bond.

“When you see somebody at school every single day, it’s very odd to then go on summer break,” Cohen said. “During the summer we hang out, have lunch, and chat about life because that’s what we do.”

Their friendship began over a connection in 2012 when Wesolik started working at the high school and the two first met.

“There was a year when we had the same lunch and same prep, and that’s when I really remember chatting a lot,” Wesolik said. “I even said at one point, ‘I think I’ve talked to you more than I’ve talked to my own sister.’ We found out we both liked Trader Joe’s and ended up talking about it at lunch every day.”

But it was not just their love for Trader Joe’s that brought Cohen and Wesolik together.

“It was probably a couple more years and then we started doing NHS together,” Cohen said. “It was definitely around when I joined in on NHS when we just started spending so much of our time together that we became really good friends. Mrs. Cohen asked if I was interested in becoming the new sponsor and transitioning into that role because I sponsored the sophomore class board for my first eight years at the school.”

In fact, Cohen also used to sponsor a class board, and now she says, “the rest is history because we’re always doing NHS stuff together.” This gave them time to get to know each other.

“We’re both really connected to our families and talk about our families all the time,” Wesolik said. “Also, her husband and my husband work for the same company and the same division there, so that gives us yet another thing to talk about because she’ll tell me that she heard this [and] this, etc. My fiance will look at me and be like, ‘You know, sometimes I think you know more about my work than me.’”

Additionally, Wesolik and Cohen say they have aligned personalities and respect in their friendship.

“I also think we respect how the other approaches decisions, too,” Wesolik said, and Cohen immediately added, “We do.” Wesolik continued, “We are both also very chatty people. When I started out here, I remember looking up to Mrs. Cohen because she was definitely a person who was expressing opinions about things [in science], and I learned a lot from her. When you’re a newer teacher, you keep to yourself more and you’re learning the ropes, but I remember being like, ‘Mrs. Cohen is a person who knows who she is and has ideas about things,’ and I always respected that about her; that really helped lead to our friendship.”

And that strong bond is exactly why they hang out outside of school.

“Sometimes I’ll be [early] before school and I’m like, ‘I need to talk about this.’ Sometimes it’s fourth period and I’m like, ‘Hey, I need to talk to you about this.’ Then it’s ninth period, we’re [at school] and then there’s more to talk about,” Wesolik said. “You get that social deprivation [from] each other over the summer and it’s a huge change.”

Cohen and Wesolik say they do regular activities like “Starbucks trips and lunches,” and even going to Trader Joe’s over the summer any time they can to see each other. And, of course, there is always social media to help out in the time of absence.

“She’s definitely the person [I think of] when I’m going through Instagram reals,” Cohen said. “And of course I’ll send her Trader Joe’s stuff that I think she hasn’t seen.”
“Speaking of which,” Wesolik said. “The grapefruit candles are back and I’m really excited.”