Hellen talks about some of the key important parts of her life that have happened and some of her personal interests. She also tells us how some of the things she went through affected her and left an impact on her, like when she had to face lots of judgment for how she expresses herself or having to hear about all the terrible stuff her friend was dealing with at home. Both of these moments have had a great effect on her and made Hellen learn how to deal or cope with situations like these.\
Her interests like drawing, journaling, and music have been a way for her to express herself and connect with others. Her interests have led to her getting closer to her friends, Eve and Elena, by having fun listening to music and drawing.
Transcript:
Sherlyn Melendez: Hello my name is Sherlyn and today I’m going to be interviewing my sister. What’s your name and how old are you?
Hellen Pelico: Hello, my name is Hellen and I’m 19 years old.
SM: What interests or hobbies have you had while in school and still have now?
HP: I’ve had a couple of different interests and hobbies but I think some of the hobbies I still do a lot now more often are probably.. Just like reading in my free time and then like, I’ll do like writing, like journaling specifically. I also listen to a lot of music and I read from time to time when I can. Umm, and I guess the last thing I do is like really go out and like hang out, and explore new places with my friends around the city.
SM: What led you to gaining those interests/ hobbies?
HP: Really just my friends. I feel like I gained like a lot of interests and things because of them because they’re always like recommending me things. So like with music, my friends will sometimes give me ideas or like introduce me to new like artists and stuff that I’ve just never heard of. Um and then with like you know drawing and stuff, sometimes I like- I will just take my art supplies with me like in my backpack and then whatever I end up doing…Usually that day, by the end of the day I’ll probably be doing that some more.
SM: Um- what are some challenges that you faced and how did you get through them?
HP: I think a big challenge I faced is just facing judgment in general. Um.. and I only say that because I kinda dealt with it a lot. Like, growing up in my home life with mom, and then also just um.. Like a lot of people who have seen me grow up I feel like I’ve also faced judgment from them, just with how I express myself sometimes. Umm.. because the people who we’ve grown up with are more like… they’re not like uh- I guess l kinda old fashioned when it comes to like, “Oh we’re gonna dye our hair- We’re cutting it now.” Like, “Oh like we- I- I have like two facial piercings or whatever.” So it’s like, you know I’ve faced judgment just f-for things like that. Which it isn’t a big deal to us, but to some people it is…and then in high-school I like cut off a lot of my hair and stuff. So it’s really just expressing myself and I guess I faced judgment for that.
I think the way I got through it was really just.. you know, caring for myself and being- learning how to be comfortable with myself because throughout the time I was dealing with stuff like that uh- it was mostly during my last two high-school years where I ended up being-. Where I had my friends but there were lots of instances while in school where I would be by myself and then I would have to put up with behavior like that. So, really it’s just learning how to be comfortable with myself and being happy, and proud to express myself I guess. But yeah..
SM: What goals did you have in high school and still have- still now in college?
HP: Mmm… Well in high school I mostly, I feel like my goals weren’t really.. I feel like they were kinda just like vague like “Oh just graduate high school and stuff.” If I did have like smaller goals, like if I actually tried giving a goal for myself it would probably be like work on your time management and um.. Cause I struggled being late a lot and then I also would just have like just other goals like, oh- like turn- try and turn majority if not all assignments like on time and stuff. Um, I think now really just the time management is the one I like try and keep up with. So like, with this semester I haven’t like really missed a class like- cause I’m in college and I haven’t really missed a class, and I haven’t really- I’ve like set up routines so I get to my class on time. I think really those are just the goals I keep up with mostly. Um.. But I think like… I don’t know for class itself. I really also just try and keep a routine- routine as well so I can like turn in assignments on time and get the things done when I need them to be done, but that’s mostly it.
SM: Um- What regrets did you have about school?
HP: Oh- Umm well, really my one big regret is just not engaging, uh more with like the school itself and like some of the people who might have been there I guess. Um, basically yeah. Just not engaging with the school and my classmates more and stuff. So, I regret not really joining clubs or trying to volunteer in my school where or when I can, and I also just kinda regret like being in class and not trying to speak to people more. But that was really just due to me being like really shy. I feel like now that I’m older it’s definitely changed. I can be in class and I can speak to other people more easily and stuff…but yeah, in high school I feel I really just regretted not interacting a lot and just…being more present in school life.
SM: Wait- what are some situations that have occurred to make you the person who you are today?
HP: There’s not really- Hmm. With that I feel like there’s not really anything that sticks out. But I feel like really just one area in my life where I’ve seen a lot a lot of stuff that had definitely helped with shaping who I am today, It would definitely be my friendships and stuff. There’s a couple of family things that have happened to but I fell mostly my friendships I’ve seen- Its really just like- Its really just like my friendships because I’ve seen a lot of people get mistreated and I feel like that at the end of the day, like in the ways I’ve seen people get mistreated. I fell like majority of that has been- I think majority of that is what’s helped me like become the person who I am today I guess. Um just because like during again- during my last two years of high school because that was when I came back from COVID, so yeah. Um there was a lot that happened, which a lot of it I didn’t realize had happened just cause I disconnected from a lot of people during quarantine. So coming back and hearing about a couple of the things, especially a LOT of the things that one of my closest friends, who’s still my close friends to this day. A lot of things that she was dealing with, it’s just like things I couldn’t really imagine going on just cause she wasn’t telling me anything while we were in quarantine. Um, and she had all that going on. So, just situations like that like.. you know, not knowing what someones going through and then having to hear it all at once and it like a lot. I-It’s really just- I-It’s things like that that kinda impact me.
SM: Going back to the first question, why were those interests/ hobbies important to you?
HP: Well, they’re important to me because It’s how I’ve connected with really everybody in my life. Like, so with you and then like with Eric (our brother), and stuff. I think- and then also with my friends. Like music is like a really, really big interest of mine. Uh, because it’s how I’ve connected with you guys and with my other friends, like with-with you guys sometimes I’ll just sit you down and I’ll force you guys to listen to like a song or a band, and stuff and then with Eric if I recommend him a band, every single day is just me being like “Have you listened to them? Have you listened to them? Have you listened to them?” Like I’ve been doing that with him recently and he’s like “Yes I have and I haven’t liked it.” and I’m like you have to re-listen to it again then because you don’t get it then.
Um, and then with my friend uh.. that’s how some of- That what some of my first conversations with them were based on. So like, with one of my friend, her name’s Eve, I’m still close to her to this day. She- our first- our first conversation was about music and how I got into it like a lot of.. the bands that I’m into now. Or whatever, and um.. She- she’ll just ask me about them and she’ll be like, what’s your favorite [inaudible], like what’s your favorite song, what’s your favorite band? All this stuff. Or how’d you get into them? It was just stuff like that and then later on she’ll like gift me CD’s and just.. I don’t know. She just kinda- I don’t know she- I also connect with her in like the more, with art I guess, and I also connected a lot with one of my other friend Elena through art as well and music.
Um.. just because- you know now she’ll like randomly pick me up from the house and we’ll just be blasting music, and just sitting in the car listening to music and then- Even then.. before in like high school we would go and get food, and go to the park, and sometimes we wouldn’t- Go to the park and sometimes we wouldn’t know what to do, and in my backpack there would just be art supplies. So we’ll just start like drawing or painting or whatever. So yeah, I don’t know. It’s just my way of connecting with people, showing my love for people like you, or whatever. [Laughing]
SM: What is some advice you would give people my age?
HP: My advice would just be to enjoy school and what your learning already because you really do realize how quick everything goes. Until like- Its like ending or its over. Um- and I say that because I’m like d- barely about to be two years out of high school and stuff- and… It’s not a lot a-and stuff like of m-… it’s not a lot of time of me being out of high school, but I don’t know it- I feel like its still so weird knowing I’m officially out of high school kind of. Um, and it is something that I still think about a lot, and some of my friends think about a lot, the fact that like.. that part of like our life like is really just over and we really have to like… be “grown ups” now- not like- we’re still young but you know w-we-… we’re in collage now and there is a lot more responsibility to it.
So I don’t know. Really enjoy the fact that you’re in middle school for right now and then- Once you’re in high school you know have fun, but definitely keep a balance of having fun and keeping up with school/ focusing on school and stuff, because if you don’t have balance with those things. I feel like you can really get out of control. Or not out of control but just… You’re gonna fall more behind I feel like if you- if you don’t have balance, cause I didn’t have balance so yeah. Um, and then to also- yeah just have fun and do what’s best for you, you know treat yourself right because if you’re not going to who is. But also make sure to treat the other people you have around you right. So yeah.
HP: Goodbye.
SM: Goodbye!
