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Health and Wellness

We All Need Safe Havens From Time To Time

Have you ever wanted a place where you can be yourself without judgement? These places exist, they're called safe spaces.

Ashley Barron

Dec 29, 2019

The Narrative

We All Need Safe Havens From Time To Time

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Ashley Bryan once said, "Having a safe space to imagine and dream and reinvent yourself is the first step to being happy and successful, whatever road you choose to pursue." What exactly is a safe space? A safe space is a place or environment where a person or category of people can feel confident. It is a place where they will be safe from discrimination, judgement, criticism, harassment, or any other harm. Hospitals, domestic violence shelters, classrooms, and some college campuses are a few examples of safe spaces.

People chose to go to these safe spaces to be who they are. They do not have to explain why they are there. You do not have to explain why you are transgender or why your hair is braided the way it is. Safe spaces aren't always about physical safety from violence; sometimes they're a refuge, a place to relax. Emotional states are also physical states. Our mental well-being shapes and is shaped by our neural pathways, our digestive tracts, our muscular tensions, and our hormones.

One should not be in a constant state of vigilance. Safe spaces help when you are in a state of danger because they are there to help relax you. You go into a safe space and you feel nothing but safe. You feel protected. You feel okay.

Just like water, oxygen, and food, mental health is also a vital factor for living. When your mental health is starting to decrease, step into a safe space. Step into a room where you can relax and take care of yourself.

If I felt my mental health decreasing, I would head to the tattoo parlor. Sometimes, I wouldn't even get a tattoo. I would go in and complete my homework assignments as my sister got tattooed. I would go and just talk to the tattoo artists, they're actually great people. I found a safe space within tattoo shops, which is one of many.

If you are in danger, seek a safe space. Confide in someone you trust. Safe spaces are for everyone. These spaces hold acceptance, love, diversity, and a sense of belonging.

Be yourself in these spaces, stick to your values. When you leave these safe spaces, you will leave with growth.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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We All Need Safe Havens From Time To Time

Have you ever wanted a place where you can be yourself without judgement? These places exist, they're called safe spaces.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?

What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?

What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

Told through Parks & Recreation GIFs

Because who understands your bitterness better than April?

1. When you have to provide an "interesting fact" for your first day ice-breaker.

2. When your professor is babbling on and on in his lecture.

3. When you edit your friend's paper and they get an A.

4. When it's 2 AM and you remember you have a test tomorrow.

5. When you finish taking the test and you're pretty sure you failed...

6. ...but then you get the test back and somehow passed.

7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

8. And then you manage to stay awake in class the next day.

9. When you have to butter up your professor for an extra credit opportunity.

10. When you're assigned a group project.

11. And your group-mates are trying to chat about life instead of the assignment.

12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

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