A kind presence in a community can go a long way. That is exactly what our peer educator, Maria, brings to our group. It is only Maria’s first year in our peer education program and she has already proven she is very dedicated to community service and helping others. Her kindness brings joy to our group and we are all thankful to have her!
What do you do regularly to relieve stress?
Something that I do regularly to relieve stress is listen to music and take a couple of minutes to recognize the good things that happened in my day. Even if I had the worst day ever, being able to practice recognizing the little good things that happened helps bring up my mood. I also love going outside at night, wrapped in a blanket, and watch the night sky whenever it is clear and am able to see the stars. It helps distract me from the real world responsibilities and instead appreciate the nature we are in.
Tell us something you’re passionate about outside of school (clubs, hobbies, interests, volunteering, activities, etc.)
I absolutely love animals, especially dogs. I currently have 3 dogs and I absolutely adore them. When I was little I used to know almost every single dog breed by memory. Dogs are literally like another best friend to me and they are always there for you! Something else I enjoy doing is playing tennis. I started playing it my junior year of high school and absolutely fell in love with it. Now that I’m in college, it is sometimes hard to find time to play, but whenever I have spare time I try to go out to the courts. Another thing I love to do is helping my community. I am currently in the Santa Cruz Rotaract Club where our mission is to basically help the community. Through volunteering we are able to help put up amazing events and just bring more joy to Santa Cruz.
If you could share one thing you would like your peers to know about CAPS, what would it be?
Something I would like my peers to know is that CAPS is such an amazing and welcoming space for literally anyone. I feel that sometimes people think it is a scary place that you only go to when you are at your worst point, but it honestly it isn’t. All the staff we have are so understanding and are really there to help you. CAPS has workshops you can attend throughout the quarter, join groups, and even use a relaxing massage chair we have in our building! Along with this they can help direct you towards the right people and the right resources.