Laura Sanchez-Lopez ’13: Seek or be a mentor, and unplug
My junior year was the first year [then-Intercultural Life Director] Ken Morris rolled out the Each One Teach One program. Seeing the rest of the mentors that first day gave me this warm feeling that all our work and efforts with this program were going to be very rewarding.
I’d say the first hour upon our arrival at Stoner House was hugs, catching up, laughter, and so much joy! We were all from various cultures, backgrounds, states of mind, and majors. Yet, the one thing that united us all was this willingness to help the next person transition into college and feel like they had a support system. We left Stoner House that day closer to one another than we had ever been before. We were determined to teach a fellow Cornellian that they had a family they could rely on!
I’d give anything to be able to spend more time with my friends who are now thousands of miles away. Now that I’m in a stable position, thanks to my education, my Cornell support system, and all the difficult experiences I went through, I have the means to meet my friends in a different state or even country. I am that person, 10 years ago, I would have followed on social media and wished I could have her life in the future. I still talk to my friends from college periodically and we pick up where we left off. Unplug yourself and work toward that goal! You are capable of so much. All you need to do is get up and go!
