I’m Good Because I’m Graduating

Cheers to Steven Gallegos on finishing college

By Steven Gallegos

I am very good because in a few short weeks I will graduate college and be the first in my family to receive a Bachelor’s Degree. I never knew it would feel this amazing! I can’t keep myself from grinning and everyday it becomes more and more real. I have had a lot of support from my family and from my landlord in the East Bay. Without him, I probably would have had to drop and go back home to Los Angeles. You never know who is gonna come into your life and become a catalyst for success of failure and I am very lucky to have surrounded myself with peers with similar goals and aspirations.

Things I do to stay good are to try new things. Recently I have tried Jiu Jitsu, although it is very expensive and I probably won’t be doing it for long, I have very much enjoyed the training. It is always the small things and the big moments that make life enjoyable. I also have a new car and a new girlfriend and everything is perfect right now. Hard work truly pays off and for the first time in my life I feel blessed. Always stay positive and never shy away from criticism and advice. I love to challenge myself physically and I love to read news articles and keep up with current world events. I enjoy the show Futurama and Tosh.O and I enjoy reading. I love to sleep in on Sundays and I love to make trips to visit family and friends in Los Angeles. Every day I take the time to enjoy my meals to their fullest. I never rush a meal and it is in those moments that I find serenity.

I do not have any family members with mental health issues but I have had a close friend who suffered from bulimia. It was very hard to support her and I found myself lost and helpless but at the end of the day the most important thing to do was to simply listen and nod your head and lend your body to lean on. Life is random and you too must be random. I follow strict routines but in those routines I allow myself the flexibility to change to anything that may pop up in life. Sometimes it is necessary to slow down and take a step back and just analyze the situation before jumping in and sometimes you need to jump in and just handle it like a boss. Every situation is different but every situation needs confidence. Anything done with confidence cannot fail and will be less stressful for you.

To end mental health stigma one needs to put themselves in the other’s person shoes and throw away thoughts of selfishness, impatience, negligence, and ignorance and try to understand. Don’t be a fool, everyone is different and you must understand that not everyone had the opportunities you had in life and not everyone was raised the same and in the same neighborhood. The world is very eclectic; grow up and empathize.