Paige began her freshman year focused on succeeding in her classes, but in her sophomore year, she realized that her academic success came at a cost to her well-being. After finding an intractable knot in her hair, Paige felt an initial urge to cut her hair off. However, as a transgender person, cutting off all of her hair meant temporarily sacrificing an important tool for gender exploration and expression. Instead of jumping to the “easy” solution of cutting it all off, Paige and a student hair stylist worked through the knot with time and care. Moreover, the stylist’s compassion helped Paige to embrace the support and care from friends and to prioritize her well-being.
Profile
Paige
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I don’t feel independent anymore, but in a way that feels really empowering. I’m finding my place here at MIT and finding people who can help support me in ways that I myself would not have been able to manage.
Paige
Challenge Areas: Balance
Sacrificing Self-Care
Paige
’s Strategies
Another Point of View
Listen to other students relating to this same struggle and what helped them cope.
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Read more: Teresa
Reckoning with Burnout
Meet
Teresa
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Read more: Kanika
Managing Work Overload
Meet
Kanika