Skip to main content

Coping through College

 Hey guys, I know it’s been a while and I apologize for my absence. I decided to step down and take a break from my blog so I could take the time to focus on my mental health. Here is a little life update on my end. I’m currently a freshman in college working to get myself a degree in costume design. I’ve currently worked on two Broadway productions, Hamilton and Aladdin which were truly life changing experiences. I have a pet cat named Peaches whom I adore and I also have a pet gecko named Mango whom I equally love. Being a college student is definitely a challenge in itself but I want to take a second to talk about what it’s like for someone who has been sexually assaulted in the past. College comes with a lot of fun and exciting opportunities but it also comes with a lot of triggers. For me personally it’s hard to be on such a big campus, there are a lot of men here and I often find myself on edge. This is a normal feeling, being in that fight or flight response. There are a few things you can do when you start feeling that anxiety creep in. 


  1. Stop and take in your surroundings 

  2. Remind yourself that you are safe

  3. Take slow even breaths (I like the 8-4-8 method)

    1. Inhale for 8 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds

  4. Find something to ground yourself (talk to a friend, listen to music, focus on something in the distance, etc.) 


A friendly reminder that I am not a licensed medical professional  and if you are struggling with feelings of anxiety or depression I would go see a licensed professional or text the Crisis Hotline 741-741. Going from that I want to talk about another struggle you may find yourself having. Finding a guy you’re interested in, it can be very hard to trust people after sexual assault especially if you were assaulted by someone you know. Most of us grew up being warned about the dangers of college and that almost everyone is out to get you. Now this statement is partially true and it is smart to be cautious and keep yourself in safe situations however, there are a lot of good people out there. Something that has really helped me was surrounding myself with people with similar values and interests as me. It is going to be a slow process opening up to people but it’s worth it. Go at your own pace and the people who care about you will respect those boundaries. I’m so happy to be back and remember if anyone has any questions or recommendations for future topics you’d like me to discuss feel free to leave a comment below. 


You all are so strong and I’m proud of you.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rape Culture

    "Not All Men"     This seems to be a common term these days, and I agree not all men are rapists or abusers but every women has either experienced sexual assault, violence, or harassment. It seems like every girl has been a witness to this form of violence. There isn't a girl out there who wasn't sat down at a too young of age and told about what not to do so they don't get sexualized and there is something deeply wrong with that. Lately I've been really into poetry and I wrote a poem that reflects on this topic.     Witness A crime against a woman A man with no alibi The trial starts The truth will be found Some testify Some take a vow Wrong place  Wrong time They accuse the girl because of the skin he could see It does not matter the amount of skin she reveals The pain he caused her will never disappear He claims there was no boundaries set He claims that she said yes The jury looks at her with hateful eyes They are all men too No surprise  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

My Assault Story

WARNING! CONTENT MIGHT BE SENSITIVE TO SOME VIEWERS! I’m going to share with you my story with being assaulted, if you are sensitive to this content please skip this post. Though I highly recommend you read it. It was a normal day. A good day even, HE was coming over and I absolutely could not wait to see him. I had everything ready. Games, popcorn, movies, the whole shebang! I just absolutely knew this was going to be the best day ever! And it was, until we got to the movie… We were watching a Superman movie. Just him, his brother, and I alone in my basement. At first everything was going just fine, we were all sitting there enjoying the movie. Then he asked the question… “Can I see it?” he asked. “No!” I said, horrified he’d even ask such a question. “Come on! Just a little peak!” he just pleaded leaning in closer to me. “NO!” I said firmly, trying to scoot away from him. He then grabbed my arm and yanked me towards him. “COME ON.” He whispered in my ear. He was getting more and mor...
Post a Comment
Read more