Hana’s Story

“I am Hana, a freshman studying biology, also a first generation student in my family.   Since my childhood, my family has set super high expectations for me. This pressure to do well and to financially support my family has made me super anxious about my studies. I am constantly living my life with many “ifs”: What if I fail my exams? What if my major isn’t the right one? What if I disappoint my family? I came to a point where I considered my worth only based on my academic performance. To sum it up, I didn’t know what loving yourself means. I did not know what valuing yourself or celebrating achievement means.

When I joined the Emotional Wellness Program, I was challenged to see things from a different perspective. I was recommended specific exercise to focus my attention on the present; to be part of a community with people like me and we could help one another. The mindfulness exercises and meditations helped me reduce my anxiety in real time, as I was experiencing it. My coach helped me create an effective daily routine and action plan to manage my time and studies. This experience helped to get in touch with my inner self, to figure out my values and act upon them. Now I know that when you learn to take care of yourself and take one step at a time, you can reach everything little by little without putting too much pressure on yourself.