A comforting confidante

By Ashley Patterson (Philadelphia, PA) 

“Pain slashed through my belly, tears flooded my little brown eyes.
Confusion shocked me like lightning and fear took over my mind.”

As I sat in the Princeton hospital waiting room, my mind began to wonder. I was afraid that despite the long trip and the wait, I would be forced to turn around. Mariya, my gorgeous counselor and relatively new confidante, sat right by my side. While I was lost in my thoughts she tried to renew my little smile. I had never felt pain like this before. I felt empty for I literally had nothing left inside of me. My body felt weak and I had no desire to speak. I wanted to hold myself. But I looked over at Mariya and she smiled at me, and I had no choice but to smile back, because I knew she was there for me. 

A few days earlier I had attended the town hall meeting with Congressman Rush Holt, and after he started speaking, my body suddenly gave out. Not only was I in physical pain, I was preoccupied with the thought that I could not go home like this, especially after my first night. When we arrived back on Princeton campus, my wonderful counselors Greg and Shirley suggested that I go back to my dorm for some “rest” time. This is where I met my counselor Eileen. Eileen is a sweet, very short woman who can brighten almost any mood. And as I walked back to my dorm with her she completely cleared my mind of any pains and worries that were bottled up inside. She gave me a sense of ease. She was the first sense of the love and the peace that I would find at SJP.

Then as I lay on the hospital bed two days after my encounters with Congressman Holt and Eileen, I found myself examining the big difference in attitude between SJP and my ordinary life. The vibe here was great - I knew that I was rooted for, and that there was someone I could open up to at all times. I had always been on Team Ashley, but unexpectedly, I realized that others were on my team as well. 

Mariya is that person that I honestly relate to as if we knew each other for years. I can laugh and cry, yell and scream, and stay in a hospital overnight for nine hours, and she’d still be there. I came to Princeton thinking that I'd connect with the students and do my work. And in the midst of completing my task, I found a shoulder to lean on. That shoulder just happens to belong to Mariya.