Sofia E.
Photography by Jessica Pentel
If you’re reading this, take a deep breath.
If you’re like me, you’re never still. Always moving from one thing to the other, whether I’m on my laptop scrolling through last-minute reading or on my phone mindlessly scrolling through the same feed. Even when I’m sitting in the same spot, my mind is always moving, often unaware of what’s going on around me. If you’re like me, you’re too busy checking your schedule and consuming content to check in with yourself.
So look up from your screen for a second. What do you see? How do you feel?
Roll your shoulders back, take the tip of your tongue off the roof of your mouth. Take another deep breath.
Often, it’s hard to be alone with my own thoughts. In the silence, every little fear and insecurity gets louder. Why can’t I accomplish more? Why am I angry (or sad, or annoyed)? Shouldn’t I be grateful? Why don’t I feel happy? How am I so awkward? What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I be a better friend, a better sister, a better daughter, a better girlfriend?
When I applied for Peer Health Educators, I was honestly shocked that they wanted me (Imposter Syndrome will do that to you). I knew that I wanted to help people, as every pre-health kid says. I found a space with both friends and strangers, who support each other and help people understand and navigate complex health issues. I have found a community of people who will meet me where I am. In an environment where I feel caught up in competition and comparison, PHEs have truly shown me what non-judgemental positivity looks like. This organization reminds me daily that there are people out there who will support you through your growing pains, cheer for you when you win, and pick you up when you fall.
No matter where you are in your journey, and if you feel you’re falling short, remember that there are people who love you. There are people who look up to you and want you to succeed. You may have trouble believing it sometimes, but there are people whose lives have changed for the better because of you. The world is better with you in it.
You deserve to feel calm and safe and loved. Whenever life overwhelms you, remember that you are already enough. Take a deep breath, soak in the world around you, and accept who you are right now. It’s okay to feel whatever you’re feeling. And you have come too far to let the voice in the back of your head keep holding you back.
If you’re reading this, take a deep breath and give yourself a compliment. You deserve it.
Sofia E., University of Virginia
Connect With Us
To follow IfYoureReadingThis at UVA on Instagram, get in touch with our chapter, and learn about more resources available to University of Virginia students, visit our chapter’s homepage.
This post is a part of a collaboration between IfYoureReadingThis.org and the Peer Educators.
Our organizations share the mission of creating a happier and healthier student body, and we encourage you to explore their resources and programs.
The Peer Health Educators (PHEs) are a group of roughly 45 UVA students who are trained to educate their classmates about college health and wellness issues in a positive, interactive, fun, and nonjudgmental manner. PHEs are trained to educate on mental wellness, nutrition, alcohol safety, and sexual health. ADAPT is dedicated to addressing the issues of alcohol and other substance abuse in the University of Virginia community. As peer educators, we promote awareness, provide educational outreach, and serve as accessible resources for our fellow students. The Stall Street Journal empowers UVA students to make healthy choices by correcting misperceptions about health decisions and providing accurate information about staying safe, minimizing health risks, accessing resources, and supporting the UVA community.
If you would like to request an outreach from the PHE or ADAPT, go to tinyurl.com/requestanoutreach and fill out the form. If you would like to talk to a PHE in a one-on-one patient education session about any and all of the above-listed topics, either book a patient education online through healthyhoos.com or walk to the lower level of Student Health.
If you would like to learn more about the Peer Education program or would like to apply, go to our tab in the student health website under “health promotion and wellbeing” > “peer education”. Applications for Fall 2020 are due March 6.
