Going for the break: Sarah reflects on her wellness scholarship
When I received the award from the Purple Collar Project Wellness Scholarship, I have to admit it was a bit of a wakeup call. I had applied for the scholarship with the goal of purchasing books to use in choosing comp titles and creating a marketing plan for my own upcoming book, but the award letter I received made a point to stress the project’s more informal sentiment “take a break; it’s on us.” It was a small comment, but it made me pause. It made me realize that, even when thinking of what I would apply for in terms of a wellness scholarship, I was still thinking of ways to incorporate work. Fun work, personal work, yes, but still work.
I think that moment and that one small comment truly did help to drive home how ingrained the idea of success equating to constant motion, constant work, is for me—for many of us, I imagine. I’m still learning to take that break, but with the money from this wellness scholarship, I was able to take space and time for myself. With this scholarship, I was able to get those books but I was also able to go out and read and enjoy them at a local boardgame café without having to feel guilty or adjust my budget just to order coffee and lunch there. It may seem like a quaint thing, but being able to physically be in a space separate from the usual grind of work—whether that work be grading, course design, or, as someone who lives in a three generation household, simply maintaining the home—without guilt was a relief. I also had a wonderful chance to connect more with my community in a way I don’t know if I would have encountered otherwise. Through that café, I was introduced to community groups like a writing group that meets there every Monday and a group that meets every Wednesdays to teach beginners how to play Dungeons & Dragons and Magic the Gathering—which, honestly, was absolutely exciting to learn.
I don’t want to sound like I’m exaggerating in this reflection, but I don’t think it’s exaggerated at all to say that I applied to this scholarship hoping for money to buy a few books, but it’s led to so much more.
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