Sophomore Annie Urban can now walk up and strike a conversation with new people as she pleases, leaving a trail of confidence everywhere she goes. Over the past six months, she has grown to accept a new outlook on life. 

Covid-19 sent the country into isolation, leaving everyone at home and locked down with family and minimal face-to-face connection. However, Urban used the isolation and distance to reflect on some of her personal challenges.

“I was not in a good place mentally or physically,” Urban said. 

Urban notes that she was hardly able to hold conversations with others without panicking about what they thought of her.  With time and a new point of view, Urban was able to progress forward.

“In that time, I’ve only done things that I want to do, that I value, and I really changed who I used to hang out with and what I used to do,” Urban said. “I think that’s been a blessing and honestly benefited me and my happiness.” 

In the moments of change, it seemed as if the minor fixes weren’t causing a significant transformation in her life. 

“The growth process, honestly, was slow. But looking back, I did have a dramatic change. So it’s definitely evident that there is a difference,”  Urban said.

 The small adjustments in her lifestyle eventually turned into habits, and habits turned into change. Urban describes herself as a much more proactive and outgoing person than she was in the past, someone she is proud of.

“Looking back, I used to struggle, but I did put myself out there, met new people, started the conversation, and I just became more comfortable and gradually more confident.”