Gabriella
Who is Gabriella (Gaby)?
She is my classmate, my seat buddy, my study partner, and my friend. I met Gaby 9 months ago, both of us bright-eyed, fresh, 1st year PT students and only slightly sleep deprived. I don’t really remember how we ended up at the same table but I’m so glad we did! At this point, the end of our 1st year, we’re a little less bright in the eyes and a little more lacking for sleep but we’ve both grown as future physical therapists.
Image used with permission from Gabriella.
What are your favorite things about Gaby?
What first impressed me about Gaby is how sharp she is. When it comes to understanding the why and how behind what we’re learning, she’s got it! What’s more, she’s able to explain the reasoning out loud, which is definitely one of my weak areas. Gaby is incredibly passionate about making a difference in her community and profession. I think a lot of people miss this side of her because so much of the work she does is behind-the-scenes and doesn’t come with fancy titles. And she keeps going, because her goals are bigger than herself. Gaby is also very thoughtful, in more than one way. She’s thoughtful about others, checking in when things seem off and raising others up when she has the opportunity. She’s thoughtful about her academics, always looking to understand more than just what is presented in class. She’s thoughtful about herself, trying to make sure she sets healthy boundaries and maintains a good work/life balance. Remaining thoughtful to yourself is difficult, especially with the constant pressure and expectations from work, family, school, volunteer organizations, and society in general. I really admire her commitment to continually working on this and she inspires me to do the same.
Where do you see her in 5 years?
Whatever Gaby decides to do over the next 5 years will be important work that has a substantial, positive impact on others. I don’t know what area of PT she’ll go into, what populations she’ll work with, or what extra things she’ll be doing but I do know that she’ll take her passion and ambition with her. Geographically, if we end up too far apart for regular social visits, I hope we still send each other random photos of our “what in the world?” moments.
Image used with permission from Gabriella.
