March 21, 2024 By Jenna
YouAlberta is written by students for students.
In the third year of a Sociology & Psychology degree, Jenna was born and raised in Penticton B.C. and she moved to Edmonton to attend university. She is passionate about advocating for mental health and being an advocate for people with disabilities. She enjoys drawing, reading and listening to alternative music.
As the first person in my immediate family to go to university, let alone move to another province, my transition to university life was a big one. Considering I’ve only ever lived in one town my entire life, leaving my home and family wasn’t easy, but it has contributed to my identity today.
So there I was, just 18 years old, starting the next chapter of my life with little idea of what I wanted to do with it, but what’s a journey without a few bumps along the way… well let’s just say those bumps were more like hills. What I didn’t expect was the community I would come to know and love.
Once again, there I was, in my first year of university, and let me just preface that it’s not like the movies. And being the smart person I am, I thought that five classes were the norm, so I decided to take five classes—not the best decision, I must say. Oh, and two of those classes were three-hour-long night classes… need I say anything else? After about a couple of months of classes, I ended up dropping one of them to make my life easier, which kind of helped (and no, it wasn’t any of the three-hour-long ones; it was philosophy—I quickly found out that’s not my area of interest). Then I took four classes, thinking that this should help lessen my stress—wrong again. My mental health started to decline, my stress levels rose even more and it even crossed my mind to drop out entirely. But during all this commotion, I still somehow found time to book a one-on-one with my RA, which turned out to be a good idea. I was able to talk to them without feeling judged—I talked and they listened. This is what prompted me to get involved in the residence community, to maybe apply to be a Resident Assistant or RA, so I did. What I didn’t expect was the community I would come to know and love.
There I was, entering my second year, becoming an RA, thinking that this year would be better than the last… I spoke too soon. I faced adversities I didn’t expect and it took a huge toll on me. It was just one after the other, like it was never going to end… and it felt like there was nothing I could do about it. If it wasn’t for those around me, my peers and my community, who knows what my life would look like now. My RA team especially supported me and helped me more than they could ever know. Despite my adversities, this was one of the best years in university yet because this is where I found my community and where I made long-lasting friendships. It may have been a difficult year, but it shaped who I am today.
I am now in my third year of university, second year being an RA, and I now have a sense of what I want to do in life. I do still face adversities, but they are slowly going from hills to bumps, and what’s life without a few bumps along the way. I went through so much in the span of a few years, but if it wasn’t for those adversities and the community that supported me, I wouldn’t be who I am today. The people are what shape residence into what it is and I am happy to be a part of this community and help contribute to it for those who come next.
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