BLOG | Getssemany Rivera
Wellness in College
July 19, 2019
Wellness is an essential part of college that many students, including myself, do not prioritize. In the grand scheme of everything self-care can seem like a luxury, especially when you feel the constant pressure of achieving academic success. Every spare minute I had was consumed by school or other responsibilities. Before college I had never truly developed any wellness practices. On the other hand, I habitually over exerted myself and made little or no time to take care of myself. At the time it did not seem important because my daily life was not being impacted by the lack of care for myself. Coming into college and learning about self-care for the first time, I thought about it as an all-or-nothing. Either I went all out with face masks, bath bombs, soothing music, long baths, etc. or I did nothing at all. But with trial and error I have learned that it is more about the small things: drinking water regularly, showering, brushing your teeth, eating and sleeping.
Self-care is the daily habits you build to take care of yourself each and every day. It is making sure that you take care of your mental health before anything else. If you don’t take care of yourself who will? It is still a hard pill to swallow some days. I am nowhere near where I want to be and some days it takes a lot of energy to take care of myself, but little by little, I have learned to take care of me before anything else. I have used the resources on campus, I practice mindfulness and am continuously seeking my spiritual connection, all in the hopes to better take care of myself. I have come learn to the importance of taking care of myself, despite coming from a Latinx family where mental health and self-care are taboo and rarely practiced. It has been a long and sometimes difficult journey to have arrived where I am today. I have found peace and while at times that peace is disturbed, through these three years in college, I have built coping skills that have allowed me to always come back to my inner peace. Caring for myself has been one of the hardest lessons to learn through college but I know it is one that is vital in order for me to succeed in a demanding academic setting. For I have learned that success is in your ability to put yourself first when you truly need to.
The Impact of a Mentor
June 25, 2017
I knew since I was very young that I would go to college. My mother had emphasized the importance of education from the beginning of my educational career. As I grew older I embraced this philosophy. Consequently, the love of learning lead me to find my passion in law. When I heard about Law School Yes We Can I knew I had to become part of the program, its values and goals aligned directly with my own plans. As I wrap up my first year of college I cannot be thankful enough for the opportunities that Law School Yes We Can has provided me. The most important begin my mentors, they have been my pillar through rough times and adjustments at the University of Denver.
College can be terrifying mostly when you do not have anyone to reach out to. When I began classes at DU it became clear to me that I had to adjust to a new culture and community. I felt as if I was an outsider and for a couple of weeks I wasn't able to find my place at DU. When I expressed my concerns to my mentors they reassured me and helped me take action to become involved and ultimately become part of the community at DU. My mentors continued to push me through each meeting to find a balance between school and self-love. They have encouraged me to take time off to take care of myself during stressful times, something that does not come easy for me. They have provided me with guidance and advise that at times is overwhelming but very much needed. They have been with me for a full year and it seems as if I have known them for a lifetime.
My mentors have become an essential part of my life, I contact them on a regular basis to set up monthly lunches, to update them on my academics, and sometimes just to talk about what is new in our lives. I can only hope that I am making a significant impact on their lives as they make in mine. Through this process I have learned that sometimes it’s the small things and choices that we make that allows us to view things in a new and better way.
“Sí, Se Puede” is a phrase born of farmworkers, who, under the leadership of the UFW, César Chávez, and Dolores Huerta, fought valiantly for equal protection under the law. As a result of the efforts of the UFW, “Sí, Se Puede” has become well known as a call that engenders hope and inspiration in those who face similar battles. We thank the UFW, whom we acknowledge to be the sole and exclusive owner of the Trademark SI SE PUEDE, for granting us a limited license to use“Sí, Se Puede” in connection with our efforts to recruit, in Colorado, students of Hispanic or Latino descent for our law school pipeline program. For more information about the programs offered by the UFW, please see UFW’s webpage (www.ufw.org); UFW Foundation’s webpage (www.ufwfoundation.org); and UFWF’s immigration services webpage (www.sisepuede.org)