{"637282":{"#nid":"637282","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Stay at Home Summer: Edward Freeman Uses Resilience Strategies to Navigate a Summer of Uncertainty","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis month, the College of Sciences is checking in to see what our students are up to and how they\u0026rsquo;re doing. In the face of an unprecedented pandemic, we want to know: what does summertime look like? Read the other stories in our Stay at Home Summer series:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW61041232 BCX1\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/stay-home-summer-sophia-martin-gets-creative-fosters-positive-mental-health\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESophia Martin Gets Creative, Fosters Positive Mental Health\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW61041232 BCX1\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/stay-home-summer-nylah-boone-stays-connected-social-media-incorporates-self-care-activities\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENylah Boone Stays Connected with Social Media, Incorporates Self-Care Activities\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/stay-home-summer-edward-freeman-uses-resilience-strategies-navigate-summer-uncertainty\u0022\u003EEdward Freeman Uses Resilience Strategies to Navigate a Summer of Uncertainty\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEdward Freeman\u003C\/strong\u003E, a fourth-year biology major on a pre-health track with a minor in Spanish, is using resilience strategies to navigate a summer of uncertainty. As he takes summer courses, tutors elementary and middle school students in Spanish, and connects with family and friends, he shares that he\u0026#39;s prioritizing mental health and well-being.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;My summer has been somewhat of a non-stop rollercoaster, and quite busy,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;With the current state of events and summer classes, there have been highs and lows, but I am determined to press on.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFreeman says that a normal day \u0026ldquo;consists of Zoom meetings, tutoring sessions, homework, with self-care time,\u0026rdquo; but emphasizes that normal days are rare. He shares that he relies on his Google Calendar to navigate any unexpected tasks and activities each day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis summer, Freeman is also busy sharing his new novel, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0851R1WHH\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Standing: Stand on Who You Were Created to Be\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E, which he authored to talk about experiences and advice as a Georgia Tech transfer student, as well as a way to \u0026lsquo;help millennials and Gen Z push through adversity while pausing to evaluate the past\u0026rsquo;.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I struggled with academic stress and feeling like I did not belong at Tech,\u0026rdquo; Freeman shares. \u0026ldquo;Imposter syndrome began to set in, and I felt that I wasn\u0026rsquo;t \u0026lsquo;smart enough\u0026rsquo; or could not keep up with the pace. I am a 6\u0026rsquo;2\u0026rdquo; African-American male \u0026mdash; and oftentimes in my classes I stand out like a sore thumb.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn his book, Freeman shares positive, enduring methods that have been helpful in his journey.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I had to rewire my thoughts with positive affirmations such as \u0026lsquo;I am enough\u0026rsquo; and \u0026lsquo;I am capable of succeeding here,\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;My grades saw a drastic improvement as I began to feel comfortable standing on who I was, and [how that related to] the challenges that were ahead of me.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith lessons learned from the transition process, Freeman wrote \u0026ldquo;Standing\u0026rdquo; to share his experience with others in hopes that they, too, would learn to \u0026lsquo;build themselves up\u0026rsquo;.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;As students, we must use our words to positively speak over our lives, grades, and challenges we face inside and outside of the classroom,\u0026rdquo; Freeman says. \u0026ldquo;Standing on faith and my uniqueness has given me the peace of mind to conquer any obstacle in my way \u0026mdash; including Organic Chemistry.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFreeman believes that the message of \u0026ldquo;Standing\u0026rdquo; directly translates to current life, as people live through a global pandemic and address racial issues. He encourages the Georgia Tech community to \u0026ldquo;be effective and build inclusive environments where African-Americans can feel safe at home, in the classroom, and participating in regular day-to-day activities.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In the midst of chaos, I am reminded that I have to stand on the belief that the current state of events will improve,\u0026rdquo; says Freeman. He adds that students, staff, and faculty must unitarily address global issues. \u0026ldquo;In order to see effective change, we must stand together to face the racial injustices present and continue to educate others from a point of view that may be unseen. Using your gift to empower is the true definition of \u0026ldquo;Standing\u0026rdquo;.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis summer, Freeman says that he\u0026rsquo;s also prioritized his own mental health by staying connected with loved ones, reading, and dedicating time to leisure.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I enjoy spending time with family and catching up with friends over Zoom and Facetime,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;I enjoy creating new content for my social media pages, and updating my personal library with new reads.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFreeman also served on the Georgia Tech African American Student Union Executive Board from 2019-2020, works as a resident assistant in Georgia Tech Office of Housing, spoke at the 2019 MLK Student Convocation, and was recently honored as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar. He speaks Spanish, French, and Wolof, a language of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe encourages others to take time for their own mental health and let go of the pressures of constantly seeking success.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I feel that many times, as a young generation, we go through the pursuit of achieving success in careers without taking time to evaluate what is going on in our lives. In order to become well-rounded individuals, we must learn how to tune into ourselves mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDespite hectic circumstances and a busy schedule, Freeman makes sure to prioritize his mental health and well-being.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Despite hectic circumstances and a busy schedule, Freeman makes sure to prioritize his mental health and well-being."}],"uid":"35185","created_gmt":"2020-07-27 16:13:00","changed_gmt":"2020-07-27 17:44:31","author":"kpietkiewicz3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"636959":{"id":"636959","type":"image","title":"Edward Freeman has prioritized his own mental health by staying connected with loved ones, reading, and dedicating time to leisure. ","body":null,"created":"1594831934","gmt_created":"2020-07-15 16:52:14","changed":"1594831934","gmt_changed":"2020-07-15 16:52:14","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242308","name":"freeman 1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/freeman%201.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/freeman%201.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":438603,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/freeman%201.jpg?itok=ZlGK2fh0"}},"636962":{"id":"636962","type":"image","title":"Freeman shares that \u0022using your gift to empower is the true definition of \u2018Standing.\u2019\u201d","body":null,"created":"1594832298","gmt_created":"2020-07-15 16:58:18","changed":"1594832298","gmt_changed":"2020-07-15 16:58:18","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242311","name":"freeman 3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/freeman%203.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/freeman%203.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":292753,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/freeman%203.jpg?itok=Q_kdjzLD"}},"636960":{"id":"636960","type":"image","title":"In February, Freeman had an interactive discussion with a class of 10th graders for their Black History Month Celebration.","body":null,"created":"1594832060","gmt_created":"2020-07-15 16:54:20","changed":"1594832060","gmt_changed":"2020-07-15 16:54:20","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242309","name":"freeman presentation.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/freeman%20presentation.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/freeman%20presentation.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1232114,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/freeman%20presentation.png?itok=gCkTUXt4"}}},"media_ids":["636959","636962","636960"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Standing-Stand-Who-Were-Created\/dp\/0578608626","title":"Standing: Stand on Who You Were Created to Be"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/article\/stories-unprecedented-semester","title":"Stories from an Unprecedented Semester"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/academic-coaching-and-student-success-resources-key-summer-progress","title":"Academic Coaching and Student Success Resources: A Key to Summer Progress "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/health-initiatives-announces-summer-2020-well-being-offerings","title":"Health Initiatives Announces Summer 2020 Well-Being Offerings "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/mental-health-resources-available-during-challenging-times","title":"Mental Health Resources Available During Challenging Times "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/statement-solidarity-black-community-we-stand-equity-and-justice","title":"Statement of Solidarity with the Black Community: We Stand for Equity and Justice. "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/next-steps-college-sciences-task-force-racial-equity","title":"Next Steps: College of Sciences Task Force on Racial Equity "}],"groups":[],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"185268","name":"summer at home"},{"id":"167141","name":"Student Life"},{"id":"15355","name":"books"},{"id":"4720","name":"writing"},{"id":"89","name":"chemistry"},{"id":"10617","name":"resilience"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGrace Pietkiewicz\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Assistant\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nkatiegracepz@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kpietkiewicz3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}