For HelpLine Awareness Week, The Battalion will publish daily guest columns written by HelpLine’s volunteers. As anonymity is a concern due to the nature of HelpLine calls, The Battalion has granted the guest columnists the use of pseudonyms.
When I started going to A&M, I knew traditions were big here. I wanted to do my best to live as an Aggie — I went to the football games, attended Silver Taps and said Howdy. I also wanted to hold up the core Aggie values that this university was built upon and give back to my Aggie community. That’s when I joined Student Counseling HelpLine. I know that through my selfless service, I have directly helped out my fellow Aggies. And while I have left an impact on Aggies through HelpLine, HelpLine has also impacted me. Not only have I gained the satisfaction of knowing that if any Aggie needed someone to talk to that HelpLine was there for them, but I have also acquired a lot of valuable skills and met some wonderful people.
It’s funny, when you go through training you completely relearn how to listen and to speak. It was a very difficult training process, but it has been very beneficial to me. The skills that I learned have helped me professionally, to be a better friend and to practice better self-care. One thing I didn’t understand before training is that it’s okay to be only okay. I was so used to doing well on things academically that when my emotions weren’t “perfect” and I felt lonely or not good enough for graduate school, I struggled. HelpLine taught me the importance of self-care: watch that extra episode of Netflix, go out for a run or paint — just as long as you are putting time towards yourself. Now, I have become okay with being okay. HelpLine has taught me that life might not be perfect, but that’s what makes life an adventure.
Being a student at A&M gives you a lot of unique opportunities. I joined a lot of different organizations and was a part of many different communities, but I know when I look back on being a student, HelpLine is what impacted me the most. As a HelpLiner, I get to volunteer with this great group of Aggies of all different majors, religions and backgrounds, who all want to help out other Aggies. I think it is such a cool and unique way to give back to my wonderful Aggie family, and I am so thankful for this experience.
Jean, Class of 2017
