Roxanne's Story

"At the end of my junior year, everything changed when my father died suddenly."

Roxanne shares her story while she is a senior in Chemistry.

What Roxanne Shares

For my first two years as a college student, I lived the privileged life. At the end of my junior year, however, everything changed when my father died suddenly. Finishing that semester was a challenge to say the least. I felt completely overwhelmed trying to manage my emotions, my schoolwork, my job and my relationships. But, I knew I had to push forward even when it felt impossible. In an effort to take back control of my life, I began to seek out campus and community resources. It's been a long journey and, even though some days it's still a struggle, I've found ways to cope. By taking things day by day and focusing on being grateful, I am able to persevere and I believe that I can handle whatever comes next. I am excited to say that I'm starting a Ph.D. program at Stanford in the fall. You know, we all experience grief due to loss – of a relationship, a death, even an opportunity. We don't have control over that. What we can control is how we react to those circumstances. Learn to shift your perspective to how you can grow from a difficult situation. You will get through this.