Hi, my name is Elaine and I am a tSB alum.
Long time no talk tSB fam! Gosh, it has been a little over a year since I have been active on tSB’s page, and I really feel like it is my first time all over again. For those of you who are new, or need a friendly reminder of who I am- hi, my name is Elaine and I am a tSB alum. I am incredibly ecstatic to be writing again, and honestly, was a bit doubtful that this day would come. However, to my surprise tSB found a way to bring me full circle as I wrap up my last term as the youth advisory board seat. I’ll keep this blog brief since I’ll have so much more to say in person 😉
Having spent the past (almost) five years with tSB, I realize how many seasons my life goes through and what I prioritize in each phase. I joined tSB in a rough patch and learned to open up to building a community, I entered my Peer Leader year focusing on honing my leadership skills and finished out my Wintern years determined to make larger differences with my experiences. Now here I am entering my freshman year of college!
The past four months have been a whirlwind of emotions and situations- I cannot believe I haven’t gone crazy yet. Over the summer I started working two jobs and preparing for college, which I would not recommend for the faint of heart. There have been numerous times when I’ve felt like giving up but it never made sense to me and I knew that I could make it work. In a way, I have tSB the thank for that. The biggest lessons I have learned and live by, I learned in my years with tSB. During my Prophet year, I doubted so many things including myself, and it was only being in a supportive environment with mentors and friends that allowed me to learn to appreciate and believe in myself. I have always been dedicated to my passions but with people holding me accountable, I was able to push my growing edge and show up where needed. While being a Peer Leader, I understood what being burnt out was and though I am not the best at avoiding it, I can now recognize when it is happening and take a step back. As I enter college, I have been reflecting more on the past experiences that got me to where I am. Even in my first week of classes, I found myself in a position where I am starting from base one again. I brought out my Peer Leader soul to make conversations with new peers and pulled from different workshops to help me with my time management and self-care. Though this first week has been hard to adjust to, I am pushing through and going with the flow. If you remember from before, living in the moment and not missing a second is something I’ve been striving to do since my time at tSB.
Some of you are probably wondering why I just went down memory lane and I promise it is all for good reason. Having spent my last five years with tSB, of course I owe so much of who I am to this organization. I have been through every turn with tSB and blended into a community that never fails to support me. I cannot wait to approach the end of my time with tSB with Soiree.
Come say hi if you are able!
With love and in service,
Elaine
Join Elaine and the Service Board on October 28th for Summits and Starlight.
Help us reach our goal of raising $100,000 by purchasing tickets before October 21st.
