During the Yale Layer Board of 2020’s weekly board meetings, we check in with each other. We ask, “What are you proud of?” and “What are you excited for?” To commemorate our tenth edition, we decided to share our check-ins with you.
Answers to these questions were given by the Board of 2020, whose names are listed below.
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Tell us something you’re proud of from this past semester.
This semester has been incredibly transformative for me in regard to the changes I have experienced in my perspective of the world. Inside and outside of the classroom, I feel as though I have forced myself to engage in really challenging conversations with friends and peers. These conversations often left me feeling disheartened and frustrated mentally and emotionally; however, they forced me to question my world-view in a fresh and thrilling way. Overall, I am incredibly proud of the personal growth that I have experienced this semester, and I am eternally grateful to my friends who have helped bring out a new version of myself that I am incredibly excited to get to know better.
I am so incredibly proud of the Layer. Being able to watch it grow during my time at Yale has been an invaluable experience, and being able to celebrate its tenth edition means more to me than words can supply.
I'm proud that I was more honest with myself and accepting of my limitations.
Transitioning into a new environment, I am proud that I have found friends with whom I can be myself and support me through the ups and downs of adjusting to college.
This past semester I made sure to prioritize myself and my time even as things got stressful. Especially at Yale I think there is this stigma that you always have to be doing something in order to feel productive and I made sure to take time for myself even when I felt like I wasn't being productive because I knew it was what I needed.
I infused my life with intentionality — in word and deed, cultivated self-soothing skills, and endeavored to remain constitutionally optimistic.
Taking the time to make my apartment feel like a home.
I'm proud that I took classes out of my comfort zone this semester — and ended up loving all of them and learning so much more than I would have expected. They have really expanded my views and shaped the direction that I want to go into for the future.
I’m proud of investing in my family and my mental health this semester! I am also proud that I ventured into new territories by taking CS50.
Settling into my major.
I did a lot more art this semester than in the past, lots of writing & photography :)
Completing CS50 and training really hard in swimming!
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What are you looking forward to next semester?
I'm looking forward to giving myself more time to spend with the people I love.
I am looking forward to putting myself first. At the end of the day, if you continue to give all of yourself to your family, commitments, work, you won’t have anything left to give yourself. Rebuild yourself, and when you are ready, give that version to others.
Continuing to strengthen and build relationships with friends and mentors, and to meet others with similar interests but come from totally different backgrounds.
The beautiful springtime on campus!
Being able to spend time outside when it gets warm again.
I am super excited to come back to campus next semester feeling recentered and ready to tackle another semester’s worth of stimulating and inspiring courses. I also cannot wait to tour with my a cappella group in South Korea over spring break!
I am so excited to focus more on my extracurriculars and find what really interests me.
It’s kind of lame honestly but i’m looking forward to figuring out my major.. I’m still undecided and at this point i really just want some clear direction to go in
I am looking forward to all of the senior class activities, and to savoring every single moment I have here at Yale.
Continuing to improve my intentionality.
Starting my thesis!!
I am looking forward to enjoying the second semester of my senior year and spending as much time with my friends as possible!
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Why do you Layer?
I Layer because I need to. I needed this publication in order to come to terms with my own mental health. All I want to do now is give it back to as many people as I can. You don’t know who is going to need this tool next. But, if you do, I Layer for you.
It gives me an opportunity to use my own negative experiences with mental illness in a positive way — it gives a purpose and direction to my recovery.
I have had the most vulnerable and wonderful conversations with people who started as strangers through my work at the Layer. I have learned how to be vulnerable and open. We are all connected by shared joys, pains, and feelings, and this publication grants an opportunity to discuss them and create beauty out of such conversations.
I layer because it pushes me to create and because it reminds me to keep in mind that I don’t know everything about another person’s life.
As Yale’s only mental health based publication, the Layer, through its diverse mediums of expression, gives mental health the attention that it needs. I could not think of a more beautiful and effective way to bring mental health to the forefront of discussion.
It’s a great way to engage with other student’s artwork.
We need more spaces where people can speak openly about mental health... it impacts everyone everyone.
Freshman year was really hard for me. I found myself dealing with emotions that I had never felt before, and not enough people on campus made me feel as though my struggles were shared. The Layer became the most loving, supportive community for me, allowing me to engage in conversations that validated my feelings and made me feel understood.
Everybody in the community is incredibly kind and supportive, and there is something beautiful about people finding the strength to express their vulnerabilities in such a raw and creative way.
I Layer to encourage our authors and readership to express, to create, and to grapple fearlessly as they navigate their experiences with mental health.
I Layer because having conversations about mental health and wellness has helped me understand myself and my experiences.
The people who are part of the layer really care about my well being and that’s why I love the Layer.
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The Board of 2020:
Lauren Cueto, President
Rebecca Ju, Editor-In-Chief
Asher Liftin, Creative Director
Raime Jones, Creative Director
Hailey Carter, Art Director
Caroline Silver, Events
Sherrie Wang, Outreach
Carly Israel, Treasurer
Bebe Thompson, Senior Editor
Jilly Mehlman, Editor
Jackie Zhang, Editor
Sarah Flynn, Editor
