Hannah
“Acknowledge your privilege and do everything you can to put it to good use. Also know that it’s important to be a listener, there aren’t enough of them in our world.”
Hannah is fun-loving, reliable, and hilarious. She enjoys challenging herself and leaving her comfort zone, whether its exploring new places & spaces or being in the presence of strangers. She puts her all into her relationships and constantly builds the people around her up; she is someone you undoubtedly want in your corner. Meet Hannah. This is her story.
K: Please introduce yourself!
H: I am a 23-year old female that wants to fit into the category of hippie but is a little too weird and a little too anxious about being late places to fit that mold. I, apparently, fear being in one place too long since in the last year I’ve lived in Ukraine, Connecticut, Arlington, and Alexandria (& in 5 months I’ll be in Denver). I love the outdoors and I cherish my friendships.
K: Describe yourself in your own words
H: My high school yearbook quote was, “Just a lap dog living in a Great Dane’s body,” and I feel like that’s still pretty accurate. I’m a gentle giant that wants everyone to be happy. It’s nearly impossible for me to get mad, even when it would be appropriate to, and I’m extremely oblivious, which I consider to be both an attribute and a flaw. I don’t like things to be easy; I like to be challenged in life.
K: What is your favorite thing about yourself?
H: My ability to be comfortable in new situations and around new people.
K: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
H: From August 2019 to March 2020 I was living in Ukraine, serving as a Peace Corps volunteer. My village was located smack in the middle of the country; it was the Kansas of Ukraine. I was the second American to ever live there, the first being only a few years before me, so for many of my young students, I was the first American they ever interacted with. When I first arrived, I didn’t realize the impact this spotlight would have. I went to the store to buy a few groceries and walked home to my host-grandmother’s house. As I walked in the door she said, “My friend told me you were at the store and bought bread. Is this true?” It felt like everything I did was on the front page of the news, and it practically was. When I lived in America, I prided myself on my self-confidence, independence, and ability to ignore other’s judgement. All of a sudden, I was over-analyzing my every move. I would want to buy a bottle of wine and then not buy it, in fear of the judgement I may receive. I realized I was living to appease the locals, because I didn’t want to offend their culture. It was disheartening to watch myself become a person so reliant on other’s opinions, but it was a point of personal growth to learn that I do care how people perceive me. Before this experience, I loved to believe that I didn’t care what anyone thought of me. I’ve learned that I do, but to use this as motivation to act as the best version of myself.
K: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
H: Acknowledge your privilege and do everything you can to put it to good use. Also know that it’s important to be a listener, there aren’t enough of them in our world. Take everything in and absorb as much as you can; the loudest person in the room is not always the most intelligent.
K: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to her if she were here now?
H: My mom has always inspired me, for many reasons, but mostly because she is so passionate and so skilled at her job. She changes people’s lives and yet, she acts like every day is just another day at the office. It makes me want to be so good at my job, that every day feels like an average day, yet I’m doing something life-changing for those receiving my help. If she were sitting next to me right now, I would tell her, “thank you for showing me how important it is to help others, whether they be your friends or complete strangers.”