Zach E.
Photograph provided by Zach E.
If you’re reading this, it is not too late.
Although I have not personally met you, I ask you to trust me as much as I trust that you will read this: it is not too late. We all have our struggles, doubts, and times where we feel like there is just nothing left to give. We pour all of our energy into making it here at UVA. We study hard, play hard, pull all-nighters, drink 5 cups of coffee just to finish that last Econ chapter or study that last page of Chem notes, try to have an active social life, play sports, and join 10 different organizations just to build up a resume. It is normal to feel so overwhelmed and stressed to the point where you feel like you are drowning in a seemingly bottomless ocean of expectations or climbing an unclimbable mountain. We have all had those moments; I have had these moments, more than one might expect. It is difficult to overcome these feelings. Trust me, I get it. There is nothing left to give as you have given everything you have.
I will say this as cogently as I can: reach out. Reach out to someone, whether that be a friend, family member, roommate, RA, faculty member, or even a random UVA student that sits behind you during lecture. I promise they – we – will help you. We are a community here at UVA, bound together by a code of honor and trust, that looks out for their own, and that includes you, my friend. We are here because we understand what a community of honor and trust means; and that meaning is accomplished by looking out for one another during both the best and worst times of our lives. YOU are a valued member of our community, so let us help you. For the sake of repetition, I encourage you to reach out to someone; call/text a friend, the numbers at the bottom of this webpage, and/or CAPS (434-243-5150 or 434-297-4261 for after-hours/weekend calls). Whatever situation you might find yourself buried in, know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is just a bump in the road on a long journey full of exciting adventures yet to be discovered.
If you are reading this, it is not too late. It is not too late to gather with dear friends on a cold December night to watch the lighting of the lawn glow underneath the night sky. It is not too late to scream until you lost your voice cheering on the ‘Hoos at JPJ. It is not too late to eat a delicious Bodo’s Bagel. It is not too late to go out with friends for a fun Friday evening on Rugby. It is not too late just spend a day binge-watching your favorite Netflix show or playing video games. It is not too late to finish this semester. It is not too late to experience the feelings of pride and joy when walking across the lawn on graduation day. It is not too late to meet your soulmate. It is not too late to get your dream job and have a family of your own.
It is not too late to find joy in life.
It is not too late to reach out.
It is not too late to live.
Zach E., University of Virginia
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To follow IfYoureReadingThis at UVA on Instagram, get in touch with our chapter, and learn about more resources available to University of Virginia students, visit our chapter’s homepage.