Remembering MayMay

Sarah Beth Campbell’s friends would tell you that she hates public speaking more than almost anything in this world. But since the passing of her good friend Meagan “MayMay” Rough, Campbell has never been more passionate about speaking out against drunk driving.

The Red Raiders Against Drunk Driving, RADD, merchandise chair has overcome her nervousness to speak for the voiceless.

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“It’s not like we want people to quit drinking, it’s just we don’t want them to operate the vehicle,” Campbell said.

Sitting in the living room of her apartment, Campbell opened up about her friend and the light that was MayMay.

“Anytime she saw you on campus, and she hadn’t seen you in like three days,” Campbell said, “she would tackle you to the ground and give you like the world’s biggest hug.”

Campbell and Rough were childhood friends from Kaufman, Texas, and cheered together all the way up to Campbell’s graduation from high school in 2010. They came to Lubbock and Texas Tech the same year and were inseparable once again.

“Each semester, like the first day, we would make a point to meet up just because that’s what we did. We went to the first day of school together our whole lives, and then we actually went to the first day of school in college, Campbell said. “We made a point to meet up. So the first day of school was really hard.”

Campbell said that her friend had a contagious laugh and made friends easily. Rough was known for being outspoken, friendly, and happy.

“The funniest thing about May was that if she met you,” Campbell said, “she’d make you her best friend. And you didn’t just know May, you really knew her.”

Campbell said that when someone is about to die, they make a point to see people who really matter to them. Rough had come to visit her out of the blue, after returning to campus from Thanksgiving break, Campbell said.

“But that day she just showed up at my house and it was just like she didn’t call and tell me she was coming. She didn’t do anything. She just showed up,” Campbell said. “And she stayed for like a good three hours. And we just sat there and talked about stupid stuff. And her brother was there, and that was the last time I saw her.”

Campbell said the hardest part of Rough’s death is knowing she’s not coming back. It makes Panhellenic sorority functions and first days of school extremely hard, Campbell said.

“May was the most positive light in the world. And people just say that, but May was really the nicest, and sweetest, and always when she walked into a room everyone would just fall to the ground because MayMay was there.”

Campbell said she got to say a very personal goodbye to Rough. Being in the hospital room before Rough died helped Campbell realize she needed to honor May’s positive light, she said.

“I think that whenever I was really mean to people before, I ended up with a lot of stuff. And after she passed, I was okay,” Campbell said. “I was tolerable to be around and I found the good in things and remembered things.”

Campbell said after Rough passed, she made a promise to be more positive and kind. Along with this promise to Rough, she also has sworn to never drink and drive, she said.

Campbell said she knew it would be hard for her to attend the one year anniversary vigil of Rough’s death but that she’s thankful for all she’s learned, no matter how cliché it sounds.
“Once you lose someone that close to you,” Campbell said, “you realize stupid little fights with people don’t matter anymore, and if you don’t want to do something, you really don’t have to do it.”