Hannah
“It wasn’t going through anything that made me stronger, I was already strong.”
Hannah is a talented artist who is also smart and tenacious. She is currently pursuing a double major in the sciences, and when she’s not studying, she devotes her time and energy to her artwork. Hannah has had to overcome many hurdles in her young life, as well as the unpleasant feelings that accompany them. But she is a strong person whose strength has helped her navigate these events and make sense of her emotions. She is someone who is inspired by creativity, and also by her sister, Rebecca. Meet Hannah. This is her story.
P: Please introduce yourself!
H: My name is Hannah, I'm a 22 year old 4th year double major in sociology and biology at Wilfrid Laurier University and a Hamilton based mixed media artist, although it can get a bit hard to pursue art while being in school.
Hannah’s dog
P: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
H: There have been a lot of pivotally traumatic moments in my life, and situations I've found difficult but managed to get through. But I don't think any of them have made me stronger. They've made me a lot of different things: scared, angry, pessimistic, to name a few. But given that I'm still coping and living can be attributed to the fact that I was already a strong person, even before going through anything. It wasn't going through anything that made me stronger, I was already strong.
P: What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
H: I would tell me younger self to keep up with art through university. I would tell myself to be more assertive and set more boundaries. I would tell myself that the inner turmoil I feel doesn't go away but it becomes more familiar and easy to deal with, like an old friend. I would also tell myself to go to my family doctor and get tested for ADHD. And finally I would tell myself not to enrol in film studies at Laurier and to stay far away from the basement floor of Wilfrid Laurier's Waterloo college hall residence building. But, all in all, I've always been a stubborn person, so I doubt that past me would even listen to future me anyways.
P: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to her if she were here now?
H: A woman who inspires me is my sister Rebecca, she has always been a very stable rock throughout my life, and I know that even if I feel like there is no one here for me, she'll always be someone I can rely on. She is constantly trying to do the right thing and trying to do right by other people in a very self aware way. Her maturity and level headedness is something that has always inspired me and is something that I aim to try and be able to achieve some day. No matter what she gets and what she achieves in life she always deserves more, because if there's anyone who deserves the world it's her