By: Gabriela Faber
I was recently scrolling through my notes and found something I wrote over the summer, “I’m so thankful and I feel so blessed now that I have become a member of Footprints in the upcoming month.” I guess manifestations really work!
The week I received my acceptance, I had been having such a stressful week. Although it wasn’t even the beginning of the school year, I was already thinking about all of the different activities, extracurriculars, classes, and everything in between that my semester was going to be filled by. However, the idea of Footprints was never a burden to me. Receiving that email I was afraid it was going to be my rejection. I was not prepared to open an email saying that I would not be able to volunteer, which was my priority since the day I started going to UF. To my surprise, I opened that email and saw these exact words “Congratulations! You have been accepted into the Footprints: Buddy and Support Program this Fall 2022!” I immediately called my dad and sister, who were just as happy to hear this news.
I have been trying to find a community of people that are as dedicated to pediatrics as I am. Going to GBMs and socials, I clearly realize that this is a place that I feel comfortable in. I went to my first social which was a Krishna lunch social. I had never gotten Krishna before and this would also be my first time meeting people in Footprints so I was super nervous, but I felt completely comfortable and relaxed immediately! It wasn’t hard to notice how this was going to be a group of people that were going to support me! For example, I needed a ride to my first CO event. It took only a few hours for someone who had never met me to message me offering a ride to the CO event. At that moment I realized how people in Footprints were genuine and they care for one another. It is a group of people who want to see each other succeed and want to see this organization grow, and I am so grateful and blessed that I have the opportunity to be a part of this!
Gabriela Faber is a Sophomore majoring in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience and minoring in Spanish on the pre-med track. She joined Footprints in Fall 2022.