Steven Regis says his early years in the Philippines echoed with what he says was a toxic background narrative passed from generation to generation: “You will study and work until the day you die.”

“It’s common for immigrant kids coming into a Western country to have parents with high expectations – and they should,” says the Bachelor of Science student. “They’re spending thousands and thousands of dollars for them to succeed.”

But seeing friends who were also from immigrant families struggle to find balance made him feel like there had to be a better way. 

“I’ve seen what happens when the expectations they have for themselves are too high. I’ve even seen people stop eating because they were so focused on studying. I wanted to change that narrative.” 

So two years ago, he applied to volunteer with MacEwan’s Peer Health Education Team (PHET). Working on education initiatives aligned with harm reduction, financial literacy, Mental Health Week and The Kindness Project have impacted his university experience in ways he never imagined. 

“PHET feels like more than a volunteer opportunity – it’s a community within the MacEwan community striving to make our campus healthier and more well-rounded,” says Regis, who is now a student worker with PHET.

He says that many of the important things he has learned during his five years at MacEwan go beyond loading a pipette or acing an exam. 

“You have to find a way to enjoy the experience, and that means finding ways to deal with the difficult times,” he says. “If the expectations we place on ourselves are too high, we’re going to burn out eventually.”

So Regis finds ways to keep things balanced. He uses an organization app to turn his to-dos into a bit of a game. And when things get to be too much, he gives a squeeze to the stuffed toy dog he’s had since he was a little kid. 

“I call him Gabriell. He’s my ‘emotional support animal,’ because that stuffed dog has been with me through every experience I’ve had – moving to Canada for high school in 2015, making the transition to MacEwan and even a dark time during my second-year finals when it seemed impossible to balance my classes, labs and a full-time job. It was really intense, so every time I went to the library to study, I’d reach down and give Gabriell a squeeze.”

His message to other students during Mental Health Week?

“Remember to take time and enjoy the little things. We’re all human. We’re all going to struggle. When we do, we need to take that breather, go for that walk or do something we love. Even when it feels like you have a million deadlines, a few minutes won’t make or break us.” 

It’s something the Bachelor of Science student is keeping in mind as he applies to graduate schools, where he hopes to study pathogens and diseases. “In STEM-focused fields, there can be less of a focus on self-care and mental health. I hope that’s something we’ll see change in the future, too.”

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