Hey Slugs! This week we have three very special student heroes, Priyanka Kulkarni, Sanam Noorani, and Ishani Deshpande. These three students have dedicated their time this year working with the peer education program. Sadly, they had to take some time off this quarter due to scheduling conflicts, but we miss them all very much. Take some time to learn some more about all three of these shining stars!
What do you do regularly to relieve stress?
Priyanka: When I’m stressed out, I usually remind myself how small my brain is in comparison to the rest of the world and the rest of the universe. When I am stressing out about something that is taking up most of my energy, I remind myself that I need to breathe and recognize what is around me to ground myself and understand that I am human.
Sanam: To relieve stress, I like to go outside and hammock while reading or listening to music. If I have too much work to do at the moment, I’ll go for a short walk while listening to some tunes. I also don’t mind a nap every now and then.
Ishani: On a regular basis, I like to spend time with my friends, go to the gym/go on walks, and take naps if I'm not getting enough sleep!
Tell us something you’re passionate about outside of school (clubs, hobbies, interests, volunteering, activities, etc.)
Sanam: I would say I’m very passionate about helping others and sustainability. I love working with people but also being outside in the natural world.
Ishani: This is my second year being a part of ISA (Indian Student Association), so if I'm not studying, there's a good chance I'm hanging out with ISA! In terms of hobbies, I love cooking, reading, and sketching!
Priyanka: Doing things that I love help me calm myself down. I am very passionate about writing and making art that gives some sort of message about the world. I like writing screenplays and stories and painting works of art that make people think about the world and how we could change the everyday into something more accepting that represents the diverse world we live in. Writing and art is my passion and I want to use it to push forward vital ideas.
If you could share one thing you would like your peers to know about CAPS, what would it be?
Ishani: CAPS can be a safe space for anyone and everyone!
Priyanka: Something you should know about CAPS is that it has many different services and can connect you with different resources that you could use. All UCSC students can get CAPS services!
Sanam: I think I would want my peers to know that going to CAPS is a very common thing and talking to someone about the stress of being a college student can be very helpful. I would also want them to know about the relaxation station where you can sit in a massage chair recliner and de-stress!