University: Angelica’s Journey

The twenties are an amazing time to explore different outlets. Last week, we talked about Creativity: McKenzie’s Story. This week’s post on Surviving Your Twenties is all about University. Angelica took the time out to discuss about her unique journey. Angelica is a mental health advocate who believes in the power of art therapy. She is currently studying psychology and she is fluent in Spanish. Oh and she writes poetry! Let’s check out her university experience.

 

What made you decide to study your current major?

Angelica: “Various factors contributed to my decision  to study Psychology.  Growing up, I was exposed to many mental health conditions from my interactions in various environments (school, church, home, social settings). Some of these conditions included autism, depression, anxiety, OCD, and ADHD.  From this exposure, I’ve witnessed that there was a lack of advocacy, understanding, and patience for the treatment of the human mind, especially those who’s minds are different. Though these contributors are just a slice of what inspired me, it was all I needed to ignite my passion to serve those who’s minds are different and educate those who don’t understand.”

 

What has your educational journey been like so far?

“My educational journey has been a beautiful whirlwind.”

Angelica: “When I first graduated from high school  I put all my eggs in one basket. I planned to go to a local college, and everything was planned out. That is not what happened!  (Whenever I reflect on this , I always imagine God and the Angels snickering at how trivial my plan was compared to His.)

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” -Isaiah 55:9

Angelica: “One of the goals I had planned to achieve before graduating college  was to learn Spanish.  I ended up living in 3 different Spanish-speaking countries, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Mexico. I spent one semester in Costa Rica and one year in Mexico, which equates to a gap year and a half. I didn’t  pursue any classes towards  my degree during that gap year. I  focused on learning Spanish . However in Puerto Rico, I completed a year and a half of credits towards my Psychology degree. I’m currently studying at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama in the United States and I’m on track to graduate in 2021.”

Angelica enjoying the Mexican culture!

 

During your young adult years and university journey, what have been some challenges that you have experienced and how did you overcome them? 

Angelica: “One challenge I had to overcome was caring about what others think. My journey was different, very different from most. I didn’t really tell people the various places I lived until after I had left, partially because I didn’t know exactly what I was doing and I didn’t want people questioning me. But God knew exactly what  He was doing!”

Angelica: “Dealing with the language barrier was also hard. When I did three semesters in Puerto Rico, all the classes were in Spanish! For those who speak Spanish you may know that the Spanish-Caribbean accents are some of the hardest. Puerto Rican Spanish is VERY difficult to understand, and contrary to the misconception, most puertorriqueños do not speak English heavily. The first day of school after my first class I went to my room and burst into tears.  It was rough, google translate became my best friend, and friends made the journey easier.”

Angelica and her friends in Puerto Rico

What would you say to someone who is unsure about whether they should go to college?

Angelica: “Firstly, it’s okay to not know. I’m a firm believer that college is not for everyone. A lot of information learnt in college can be accessed by reading a lot. However, I can say that what college does is provide discipline (due to deadlines and the unspoken fear of wasting good money)  and an outlet to actually sit down to read, create, network and produce. If your disinterested in college I respect that. However, I highly encourage building yourself to be more marketable. Have a layout of what you want to do to reach YOUR definition of success.”

What advice would you have for someone who is unsure about what to study?

Angelica: “I would say to reflect on some of your life  experiences.  Based on that, what do you want to change in the future? Write down some of the things you are passionate about, pray about it (if you are religious) then make a decision. I would also encourage a gap year to figure out what your interests are. Many experiences  I encountered during my gap year heavily impacted my decision on what I will pursue for Graduate school.”

 

What encouragement would you provide for a university student who may not have gotten the grades they wanted?

Angelica: “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Its not the end of the road. In school people, especially professors, like to make you feel like grades are the end all and be all . That’s not true. Acknowledge the fact that you had the resilience, discipline and patience to make it through the semester and receive a grade report at all ( Many people have their first episode of mental illness in college).”

“There’s  more to life than grades, make sure you also take time to develop skill sets that can be valuable in any field.”

 

What’s your top tip for surviving your twenties?

Angelica: “Take the time to breathe, read, and focus on you. Breathe, meaning don’t try and compete with the  journey of those around you. Your journey is unique from your peers. Read the bible, and explore other books about religion. Read self-help books, fiction, poetry, history, science, psychology, art, business , anything. Diversify your mind.  When you  know a little bit of everything, you create pathways for new opportunities and interactions. Focus on yourself. The 20’s are so precious. And while a significant other is  something we all want, it can be harmful stepping into a relationship when you don’t know your likes and dislikes. So it’s important to get to know yourself first.”

 

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I hope you enjoyed reading about Angelica’s beautiful university journey. If you know a high school graduate about to go to university or a university student who needs some encouragement, share this blog with them.

To see Angelica’s poetry and mental health content, follow her on Instagram, @angelicawill_.

What has your university experience been like?

Let me know in the comments!