Longhorn Wellness Peer Educators Profiles
Claire Stanaland
she/her
Hometown: Blacksburg, VA
Major: Biology
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness means an understanding of the necessary balance between physical heath, mental health, and overall happiness.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I take care of myself by maintaining a good sleep schedule and prioritizing mindfulness in my everyday life.
Sarang Patel
he/him
Hometown: Plano, TX
Major: Biochemistry
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness means staying healthy whether it’s mental or physical.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I stay hydrated at all times and always ensure I have time for myself.
Shwetha Srinivasan
she/her
Hometown: Portland, OR
Major: Human Biology (BS)
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness, to me, means contentedness. While it is unrealistic for us to be happy all the time, having healthy day-day habits and meaningful coping mechanisms help you attain better physical and mental health.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I take care of myself through lists and routines. When I feel my mood shift, I like to journal my stressors and make lists and plans to ease my stress.
Kristine Hernandez
she/her
Hometown: Mission, TX
Major: Advanced Human Development
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness is all about taking care of yourself both physically and mentally. It can range from either working out, journaling, or making your favorite meal! Wellness is doing whatever feels good to you and is a journey that everyone seeks to improve everyday and can be done with the support of others!
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I try to take an hour a week to just do something completely unschool related like a face mask, going to a coffee shop, or just cleaning my room!
Annabel Serna
she/her
Hometown: El Paso, TX
Major: Human Biology (BS)
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness, to me, means contentedness. While it is unrealistic for us to be happy all the time, having healthy day-day habits and meaningful coping mechanisms help you attain better physical and mental health.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I take care of myself through lists and routines. When I feel my mood shift, I like to journal my stressors and make lists and plans to ease my stress. I take care of myself through lists and routines. When I feel my mood shift, I like to journal my stressors and make lists and plans to ease my stress.
Sierra Ybarra
she/her
Hometown: Hondo, TX
Major: Microbiology and Infectious diseases
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness means taking care of yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally. It involves staying physically active, eating healthy, and setting aside time for yourself. Wellness is also being mindful and kind to yourself.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I take care of myself by getting 7-8 hours of sleep, exercising and going on walks. I love doing activities that are relaxing, such as listening to music and drawing. In addition, I make time to hangout with my friends and loved ones!
Liam Stegman
he/him
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Major: Biochemistry
What does wellness mean to you?
Being Happy.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
Play video games and spend money.
Audrey Johnstone
she/her
Hometown: Cypress, TX
Major: Public Health
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness is the active practice of healthy activities, choices, and lifestyle that lead someone to a state of complete well-being that holistically integrates physical and mental health. It means having a clear mind that can focus and be self-aware of our overall state. It is the pure act of being proactive with what you need in all health aspects as well as being mindful of others around you and taking care of them. Being proactive and maintaining a healthy body, mind, and soul is essential for overall well-being and quality of life.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I take care of myself through putting time towards activities I enjoy doing and spending time with my loved ones. I try to set time to do things I find joy in such as going on long walks during sunset while listening to music, dancing, and baking. Regarding spending time with my loved ones, I always go to my family with anything I am going through as they are truly my rock in my life with their constant love and support that they give.
Audrey Rovillain
they/she
Hometown: Houston, TX
Major: Public Health
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness is actively working towards and caring for all facets of one’s health (physical, emotional, and mental) and is best achieved through balance, self-compassion, and awareness. It can be hard to let myself relax among external and internal pressures, so I work towards my own wellness by taking time for myself by journaling, calling my family back home, getting a silly little treat with my friends, or visiting an animal shelter to see the cats. To me, wellness is working towards happiness, balance, and fulfillment, and letting myself enjoy life as I go.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
To take care of myself, I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night and make sure to keep myself nourished. In the mornings, I take time to get ready in a way that makes me feel comfortable and happy in my skin based on my mood (i.e. through my makeup and outfit). To have an outlet for my thoughts, feelings, and reflection, I like to journal and draw. I also try to be aware of how I’m feeling mentally so I can take breaks as needed (quiet spaces, calming music, and/or naps usually help when I start feeling overwhelmed), and make sure to spend time with my friends and loved ones.
Morgan Davies
she/her
Hometown: Laguna Niguel, CA
Major: Public Health
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness to me means doing simple things that improve my mental and physical health. It can be anything like doing a quick activity to ground me in the moment or going for a walk. I also think a big part of wellness is remembering to give yourself grace and be kind to yourself because it is easy to be tough on ourselves.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
To take care of myself, I like to go for walks outside and get fresh air. I also enjoy cooking meals for myself and hang out with friends. I also try to practice not putting too much pressure on myself and being kind to myself throughout the week.
Leo Rahn
he/him
Hometown: New York City, NY
Major: Psychology
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness means taking care of yourself both mentally and physically. Wellness looks very different for everyone and what may work for someone could have no impact on another. I think what matters the most about wellness is listening to your body and making sure to take care of the things it tells you to.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
To take care of myself, I make sure to keep my environment clean and organized. I feel like when my space and room are clean I work the best. I also try and exercise regularly to keep my body in shape and keep my mind clear.
Roshni Subramani
she/her
Hometown: Frisco, TX
Major: Computational Biology
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness to me means having a healthy routine and being comfortable in terms of my mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Balancing all the things that we have as students and as individuals can feel overwhelming and stressful, but working on yourself as a person is the best way to practice self-care and figure out what works for you as an individual to live to your maximum potential.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I usually watch movies with my friends and family, go on walks, read, or just clean. It’s a great way to take a break from my normal routine and listen to my body.
Kotomi Schroeder
she/her
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Major: Biochemistry
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness means to bring our minds, bodies, and spirits to their full potential. Without taking care of ourselves, we couldn't put our full effort into our academic/professional endeavors, relationships, or happiness.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
Building healthy habits helps me stay consistent and save time to do the things that make me happy. My routine incorporates studying, getting plenty of sleep, and working out. At the end of the day, I like to play video games, read, and enjoy quality time with my loved ones!
Jade Cruz
she/her
Hometown: Mission, TX
Major: Health Promotion and Behavioral Science
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness extends beyond taking care of physical state. It also encompasses the mental, emotional, social, and environmental aspects around the individual. Wellness is creating health habits to promote personal well-being. How a person approaches wellness is up to them, but the overall goal is to feel fulfilled and to have a healthy lifestyle.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
To take care of myself, I love to give myself some me-time. Journaling for a couple of minutes a day, especially on days I feel particularly overwhelmed, is very helpful. I read and work on word search puzzles when I feel like taking breaks from school. I also like to take walks outside to clear my mind.
Anjana Balaji
she/her
Hometown: Frisco, TX
Major: Public Health
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness means taking care of myself in a healthy, balanced manner - whether that is to support my physical, mental, or emotional state. By dedicating time to self-care and reflection, the two methods I rely on, I am able to practice techniques that promote the wellness of my body.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
Self-care looks different on various occasions, especially based on the day/week I may have had. On a daily basis, I practice self-care by going on walks, doing my skincare routine, and unwinding with some Netflix. But on those long weeks, I enjoy going out with my friends, baking/cooking, and taking a relaxing bath.
Nivrithi Kuttuva
she/her
Hometown: Austin, TX
Major: Public Health
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness to me means to holistically take care of your mental and physical health. It consists of making lifestyle choices that make you feel grounded and in tune with yourself and others, essentially allowing more meaning into life.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
To care care of myself, I love journaling at night, meditating, spending time in nature, listening to music, and surrounding myself with my friends and family.
Elijah Sutton
he/him
Hometown: Austin, TX
Major: Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness means prioritizing your state of being so that you can show up as the best version of yourself for whatever life throws your way.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
Meditate, run, climb, cook and eat healthy food!
Julia Cherkesov
she/her
Hometown: Coppell, TX
Major: Biochemistry
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness to me means taking care of myself physically and mentally. It means prioritizing exercising and taking care of my health in order to show up 100% at school and other aspects in life.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
To take care of myself, I regularly visit the gym and ensure I give myself ample time to rest. Additionally, I make it a point to spend time with friends since their friendship helps me unwind and maintain my emotional well-being.
Hannah Nguyen
she/her
Hometown: Sugar Land, TX
Major: Human Development & Family Sciences
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness is setting out time everyday to take actions that prioritize your physical and mental health!
What do you do to take care of yourself?
Baking, face masks, and taking walks.
Samantha Garcia
she/her
Hometown: Houston, TX
Major: Computational Biology
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness is being able to check in on yourself and make sure your mental and physical health are good by doing things you enjoy.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I love to switch it up depending on how I feel. Some days I'll go out with friends or call my family. Other times I go on walks and just enjoy the scenery around me. I will say though that journaling and listening to my favorite songs is my go-to combo.
Tanisha Deep
she/her
Hometown: Fremont, CA
Major: Neuroscience
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness means taking time out for yourself and taking steps to make sure that you feel the best you can.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I make sure to do something enjoyable for myself every day, whether that be reading or spending time with loved ones.
Tanvi Gupta
she/her
Hometown: Friendswood, TX
Major: Biochemistry & Governement
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness means being in tune with your body and understanding its cues and needs emotionally, mentally, and physically.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I like to take time to myself and listen to music or watch a show or movie that makes me laugh. I also enjoy the ritual of cooking, and love to try new recipes when I'm stressed!
Elena Cokinos
she/her
Hometown: Houston, TX
Major: Human Development and Family Sciences
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness to me means prioritizing my wellbeing and making lifestyle changes to better my mental and physical health. Wellness means making the hard decision to sometimes put my health and wellbeing before other commitments such as school, social events, and work.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
There are many things I strive to do on a daily basis to take care of myself. Some of my favorite forms of self care are yoga and pilates, going on walks, journaling, grounding exercises, and making healthy meals. I love to find ways to take care of myself that I also enjoy, such as reading good books, my favorite forms of exercise, and cooking. This way I am better my mental and physical health at the same time.
Ridhima Challa
she/her
Hometown: Katy, TX
Major: Nutrition
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness means physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. To me that involves being healthy and balanced.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
I love to take time making myself a yummy and fulfilling meal! (Noodles are my favorite).