Most people in this world have gone through something in their lives. It could be intense such as the loss of a loved one, depression, feeling like an outcast, or just dealing with the daily stress of college and school life. Most people have felt alone at some point in their lives. The struggle seems painful and heart-wrenching at times. However, we must remember that we are never alone. All we have to do is talk to each other.

Before I came to Rutgers University, I decided to find a way to branch out of my comfort zone. I wanted to get to know some of my future classmates before college started. Luckily, I found a summer program that did just that. A three-day adventurous outdoor escape which helped build close and personal connections between new Rutgers students. Each day was a different adventure, whether it was zip lining, hiking, or roasting s'mores in the forest. We participated in many team building activities where we shared our personal thoughts on situations going on in the world and had deep conversations which revealed so much about ourselves and the situations we have been through throughout our lives.

It was because of these deep and personal conversations that I realized all these years I was never alone in my struggles. My situation is not worse than anyone else's, because somewhere else, someone else is going through the same thing. I sat in a circle in the middle of a forest late at night with people that I met two days prior, and I realized the importance of sharing our experiences with each other and not making assumptions about people without getting to know them on a personal level.

Finding people who can relate to the situations and challenges that you are going through will make it easier for you to overcome the challenges, or at least deal with them in a better way. Instead of feeling sad about our experiences and situations, we can use them as a tool to relate to other people and make lasting connections. Even though everyone has a different story and situation, in the end, all human beings stand united because our experiences shape who we are. By simply telling each other about our experiences, we can learn how to overcome or at least better deal with our challenges and situations, and make personal connections with each other.

So the next time you feel like you can't deal with whatever you're going through, just open your dorm door and talk to the people next door, because you never know if they might just be feeling the same way.