By Ayushi Sinha
Up until the start of sophomore fall, I struggled with feeling like I did not have a place at UF. Coming from out of state and having a rough time finding a close community at UF, I began to feel very isolated and even started to regret choosing UF for college. However, Footprints became a real turning point in my college experience. I remember one time hanging out with a patient, and I overheard her mother tell one of the nurses, “This is the most I’ve seen her smile since we got here,” and that warmed my heart so much. Footprints is more than just a club to me - it’s a place where I feel valued, supported, and empowered. Aside from the incredible experiences I have had on the unit, Footprints has been a special experience for me off the unit as well. Footprints really emphasizes a close-knit community between its members, and I love attending every social we hold. One of the pictures is from a pet rock painting social that we had in the spring. This social was on the same day as one of my exams, and I was spiraling that whole week because of the stress from it. I wasn’t even going to go to the social at first, because I was going to lock myself in the library all day, but a fellow Footprints member convinced me to go and I’m so glad I did. Spending just an hour in the Plaza with my friends, painting some silly rocks under the sun, really allowed me to decompress and settle my nerves. The friends that I have made through Footprints are amazing and I am very grateful to this organization for everything it’s given me.
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