The Sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota
The Sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota
If you’re reading this, Sigma Alpha Iota is here for you.
Together, the sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota bring you the lessons they have learned and advice for those who are struggling with their mental health.
Emily Walbert - President
If you are reading this, I am so proud of you. Battling mental health takes resilience and quiet strength. You may not feel it now, but you are so strong and capable of the challenges and hardships life throws at you. You have accomplished so much & that is something to be proud of. You may be thinking, “I haven’t done a lot with my life,” but you woke up this morning and you may have gone to class, hung out with friends, taken a really hard exam, or simply, made your bed. These accomplishments are just as important as when you get an award or a summer internship. Something that has improved my mental health has been celebrating the “smaller” wins in life, because they aren’t really that small. A fellow student on campus told me that it was the small, quiet achievements that all bundled together to create the larger achievements. If you went to class this morning, you have one more class lecture completed until you are at graduation. If you woke up and had breakfast, you are fueled to write that paper or fill out your job applications. You should celebrate all the accomplishments and feel so proud of yourself, because I know I am proud of you.
Kailey Force - Sister
If you are reading this, it really does get better. I have struggled with my mental health for as long as I can remember. Anxiety and depression run in my family, so when I started having panic attacks as a little kid, my parents weren’t necessarily surprised. I never got a diagnosis, and I only saw a therapist once for a few months before deciding that he wasn’t the right fit for me. My anxiety just became the norm. It was something I learned to deal with any time I was in a triggering situation, like traveling or going out to eat. Things didn’t get really bad until after quarantine. I had a really hard time returning to school and re-establishing a routine. I couldn’t eat, sleep, or go to class without having debilitating panic attacks. Going away to college became my biggest fear. I had no idea how I was going to live on my own if I couldn’t function even with my parents taking care of me. Eventually, I went to the doctor and was prescribed medication, and ever so slowly, normal life became easier again. I started researching my options for after high school, and the more I looked at WCU, the less scary it felt. The past two years of college have been the most rewarding of my life. I found my home away from home. I found my people - a community of friends who love and accept every aspect of my being. More than anything, though, I found myself. I know who I am outside of my academic career. I know what outfits make me feel the most like myself. I know my limits, but also when to push myself. My confidence and general appreciation for life have grown tremendously. I still struggle with anxiety, but I only have panic attacks every few months. People always say that it gets better, and you just need to wait out the storm. And while that is so hard to hear when you’re in the thick of it, it really is true. Five years ago, I couldn’t even imagine my life being as good as it is now. I am so grateful that I waited it out.
Jess Orr - Musicale Director
If you are reading this, KEEP GOING! You are here for reasons you may not understand or realize yet; Do yourself the honor of growing into the person you are meant to be! Navigating adolescence with anxiety, depression, and PTSD was far from easy, but I am who I am today because of who I was and I am so thankful for that.
Madi Ross - Vice President, Ritual
If you’re reading this, you are not alone. Many more people struggle with their mental health than you probably even realize. When I was in 5th grade, I lost my dad to colon cancer. Shortly after, I was diagnosed with Anxiety and OCD. The OCD diagnosis came as a shock to me at first. OCD? Really? But my room is messy, and I don’t care about color coding or organizing things. Turns out, OCD is much more complex than society has led us to believe. I realized that a lot of the specific types of anxiety I experienced my entire life could be attributed to this condition. My anxiety even became so severe it caused me to develop a fainting disorder called vasovagal syncope. If I went back in time and told that version of myself that I have lived such a rich, full life since then, I would most likely not believe it. I am one of two vice presidents for SAI, and Vice President of music therapy club. I run the Wells School of Music instagram page. I have traveled to Alaska and Canada, and I’ve performed in front of countless people. The road to get here, however, was not easy. If you are reading this, you might be struggling with the same kinds of things I have battled, and some days I am still battling. Panic attacks, fainting spells, physical and mental symptoms of anxiety, mental distress from OCD, severe phobias, and other issues have plagued me from a young age, and there was a point that I believed it was simply my new normal, that there was no way things would get better for me. Things are still far from perfect in my life today, but I can confidently say I have learned, with the help of therapy, medication, and time, how to exist in spite of my struggles. To welcome them in, and to say, “Hi there, anxiety, I am going to live this day no matter what you tell me”. Do it scared. Do it afraid. The important thing is that you do it. Endless love and thanks to my wonderful SAI sisters, I never could have dreamed of having friends like you all. So if you’re reading this, I hear you, I see you, I love you. <3
Paola Loaiza - Sister
As someone who was already diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Persistent Depressive Disorder since my freshman year of high school, being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder a week before starting my freshman year of college in August of 2024 made me more than terrified to leave home. I’ve never been open about it, but alongside that, I was actively stuck in a relationship. Since Summer of 2021, starting when I was 15, I was being groomed by an adult who was almost a decade older than me. While I did not become a sister of SAI until my sophomore year, I can say in the short amount of time that I’ve been a sister, it’s truly changed my life. I’m still navigating my BPD everyday, however; I know that I have sisters by my side who I’m not afraid to open up to. Being a Music Major is nothing less than hard, but being a part of SAI helped me foster my love for music again that I had lost. Alongside that, I was able to escape the relationship I was in. I have never been the type to open up fully, but I can confidently say that with my sisters by my side, I can be nothing less but authentically me.
Madie Truglio - Fundraising Chair
If you’re reading this, you are worthy of all the love that exists in the universe. Your soul is as deep as the ocean and as bright as the sun. You were put in your body, at this time, in this town for a reason, and the world is so much better with you here. :)
Caitlin Biddle - Sister
If you’re reading this, you do not have to fight your battles alone. I have struggled with diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) since I was a young child. Debilitating anxiety symptoms became my norm. It was difficult for me to open up to my family and friends about what I was battling, and part of me believed that fighting against your own thoughts every day was a universal experience. It wasn’t until Covid-19 that I was forced to face my struggles head on. I transferred high schools, began going to therapy, and found a group of friends that remain precious to me to this day. Starting college was another major source of anxiety for me. I worried that I wouldn’t find my place, but being able to find a community in SAI has made my college experience infinitely more rewarding and special. Having a group of people who you know will always be in your corner is a huge privilege. In times of trouble, never forget that you have people who love and support you. You are never alone on this journey.
Grace Garofola - Social Chair
If you’re reading this, do not shrink to fit in. Coming to college, I was petrified that I wasn’t going to be able to find “my people” and find “my place” on campus. When it came to getting involved, I threw myself at every club that felt somewhat “right” for me. I was desperate to find a place in an environment that felt so foreign to me, and to find people that would make it feel like home. Finding the right place for me on campus was not an easy feat. I went to multiple meetings for multiple clubs that I felt like I needed to be a different version of me to get the outcome I saw everyone else getting. I would hang out with people I would be quiet around, merely observing conversations and feeling like every word I said would be ammunition to be thrown out and discarded. I felt inauthentic, and I didn’t feel like me. Finding your place is truly a search, and I’m so glad to say, as a rising junior, that I feel like I’ve found homes in the organizations I have joined and continued membership in as well as the people I’m lucky enough to call my friends. The point of finding your place and finding your people is not to change to fit in with them, but to change due to learning and growth you experience alongside others. I urge you to continue your search, and within it you’ll be certain to find yourself :)
Marie Persia - Sister
If you are reading this, it's ok to feel alone. I have always felt lonely. I grew up an only child and sometimes I’d feel I couldn’t talk, my generalized anxiety disorder would overwhelm me. It was isolating. I’d try to talk but my throat would feel glued shut, like someone removed my vocal-chords. I wanted to run away and blamed myself for my isolation. Eventually, I found myself in the middle of no-where Virginia trying to seek out my community. Instead, I felt the most isolated I had ever been in my life. I came to West Chester to seek out a less isolating place, somewhere where I might find more people like me. For me, band was my best chance at no longer being alone. Soon after, I found myself seeking out crowds, but I often still felt alone even when surrounded by people. But, it's ok to feel alone sometimes. To grow within yourself, to befriend yourself. Because, as long as you have you, you aren’t alone.
Sophia Isom - Treasurer
If you’re reading this, know that you are not alone and there are so many people who are watching out for you. Being in college can be a very isolating and difficult time for everyone- especially during periods of change. Try to find joy in all the things you do, taking moments to be grateful for the small things that make a difference on your overall day. I have found that even on my worst days, if I try to serve others or do small acts of kindness the whole day gets turned around. Try to build your support system and learn to genuinely ask for help when you need it. You are never alone, when you need help the most do not be afraid to ask!
Paige Haber - Sister
If you are reading this, you are not alone. In the last year, I was diagnosed with CPTSD, and I thought I was alone, and I have always felt that way growing up. I thought that because my friends all had healthy relationships with their families, and I was the only one who didn’t. For the longest time, I thought there was something wrong with me. That the reason for all my panic attacks and emotional flashbacks was because of the child abuse I suffered. I learned how to survive in an environment where survival was the only way through it. Now, being away from the abuse, I have learned that it was never my fault and that there is nothing wrong with me. I have learned how to move forward with my life and figure out what it's like to not be stuck in survival mode. Coming to college, I was so worried that I wasn’t going to fit in or be able to get away from the abuse. I, of course, have my bad days where I have emotional flashbacks, and sometimes I feel like everyone in my life is going to leave me, because that's what would have happened if I did something wrong as a kid, but through SAI, I have found my people. I know that I have my sisters supporting me through everything. They have made me feel so welcomed, comfortable, and safe. It’s okay to feel like you are alone and that no one will understand what you may be going through or what you went through growing up, but there will always be people who have your back and will be supporting you. You will never be alone in this journey we call life.
The Sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota
West Chester University
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