‘Tis the holiday season. ‘Tis the season of giving. And ‘tis the season of getting sick. This week, I met an extraordinary girl in an unlikely situation. When I suffered from a virus and dizzy spells in my floor’s common room earlier this week, Ann helped, comforted, and stayed by my side for over an hour. She remained completely calm and optimistic, distracting me with silly summer camp experiences and her adventures at the Nashville Zoo. Ann exemplifies the holiday spirit of giving all year round. She is the perfect combination of open-hearted, open-minded, and flat-out spunky that makes her this week’s campus celebrity.
You definitely demonstrated that you can stay calm in stressful situations. Even with your demanding pre-med schedule, you always have such a positive attitude. What’s your secret?
I went through three years of CPR and first-aid training at my summer camp, and through my position as a camp counselor I learned how to be calm while everyone else was freaking out. For example, an eight year old isn’t going to stay calm when she gets a fern stuck in her finger, so I needed to be calm for both of us. And they always tried to pull the ferns! Ah, but I love my kids.
You are such a devoted camp counselor, what is your favorite part about the position?
My favorite part about camp is definitely working with the children. We get such a wide variety of kids; they come from all walks of life such as inner cities to suburban homes. It’s so nice to see how children with such vastly different backgrounds can come together to overcome challenges. From tasks as simple as living away from home, riding a horse, or even using an unfamiliar shower, it’s so rewarding to help them and watch them grow from these challenges.
What has been your favorite experience at Vanderbilt thus far?
Straight up, I love the zoo! That was the best thing. I feel like I do so much homework and attend so many meetings, but last weekend I did community service at the zoo and it was great!
You are probably one of the most lively and upbeat people I know. How do you keep such a positive attitude?
I learned in my first month here not to compare myself to others; I would rather be the best that i can be. If I try to be better than that, I would stop being me. I would rather be the best version of myself than some superior stranger.
Wow, that’s insightful! How did you come to that realization?
Well I was in biology lab one day, and everyone around me was talking about how they complete upper level research, volunteer at hospitals, and finish papers with weeks to spare. From that I learned I cannot compare myself with others. It’s negative, and it gets me down.
You have mentioned that you abstain from drinking. Do you find it hard to avoid the drinking/party scene in college?
Drinking and partying are not for me on a personal, family, or spiritual level; trying to avoid it has never been a huge problem. I have found such a good community of friends here and have never felt looked down upon. Instead, these friends welcome me for my beliefs. If anyone ever wants to come speak with me about my decisions, I would love too. But I would never try to force my lifestyle on someone else.
I then began to ask Ann a question about CRU, the Christian ministry she is involved with on campus. Simultaneously, a fellow student approached us and asked Ann is she would be interested in taking a quick Christian interest survey. Within seconds, Ann made room on the couch, patted the cushion next to her, and proudly answered, “Sure, I would love to! Pop a squat!” That’s Ann for you.
Did you have any role models that shaped your personality?
I had a lot of role models. A really important person in my life was a women from camp who was initially my counselor, then my counselor-in-training director, subsequently my co-worker and finally my director. She was a mentor and a friend—someone I always looked up to. She had the most amazing outlook on life, even when things went wrong. She was so poised and ready for whatever life brought her way. I have came across so many people in my life that were really inspirational.