Feature photo by William Woodson
By Sierra Beard-Dorm
Walking around the William Peace University campus, you might hear a boisterous laugh from a mile away.
Many don’t need to see who it is before instantly knowing it belongs to Alexsandra Valentin. Always there to brighten anyone’s day and loves to pour into those around her.
Waking up at 3 a.m., she’s off to her first job, before arriving on campus to make her first class at 8 a.m.
Sometimes, Valentin is the first person people see before they start their day.
Customers at Starbucks are greeted with little sayings she writes on their cups, such as “you make a difference in the world,” as she hopes to make their day a little bit better.
During the week, she will continue this schedule multiple times while juggling her two on-campus jobs.
More than meets the eye
While she carries herself so freely, there are layers to Valentin that make her view on life different from others, as Valentin is not shy from experiencing life’s obstacles.
“If I told you all of the things I’ve been through, you wouldn’t believe me. Seriously, it’s like my life is a movie,” said Valentin, a sophomore education and psychology major.
In 2020, she lost her step-mom to mental health struggles, as well as her aunt, all while still caring for her family.
Valentin also has a little brother who is hard of hearing; because of this, he wears hearing aids daily and attends speech therapy often.
Another family member she is especially close to is her little cousin.
“My cousin has cerebral palsy, and I attended one of her sessions, not in a school environment but rather an actual clinic or office area space,” said Valentin. “There, she used an AAC device that helped her communicate with her eyes through an eye tracking device and a tablet. I was so fascinated by that. After my aunt passed, I felt like that was the determining factor that I knew I wanted to do this.”
New roots
Growing up in the fast-paced city of New York, she was surrounded by a symphony of sounds that made every day an adventure. From hearing the cars beeping to the swift sounds of the subway passing on the platform.
It is, after all, the city that never sleeps.
“I was born and raised in Queens, which is considered the most diverse borough in the city,” said Valentin. “It’s safe to say I was immersed in different cultures with different languages and holidays being celebrated.”
Valentin notices a clear contrast between life in New York and North Carolina when it comes to personality and social interactions.
“I noticed that people in the Carolinas are nice to your face, but turn to talk about you. Whereas New Yorkers can make it known they don’t like you, but they respect you enough not to fake it,” said Valentin.
Feeling as though she has to tone down her East Coast grit to fit in is a lesson she has learned along the way.
“I’ve found myself code-switching to change my tone compared to what situation I’m in,” she said.
When the world stopped
In March 2020, the world shut down, and the city that never sleeps took some time to get rest.
When many students didn’t know when school would go back to normal or what that would even look like.
Valentin began to wonder as well.
“My mom pushed me to be academically successful since primary school. I was a solid A-B student until COVID-19, that is when my grades plummeted,” she said. “Even after quarantine, and we were back in school, I had a hard time adjusting and became a C student. It troubled me because I knew this wasn’t me and that I could do better; my mom set me up for better.”
With the drastic changes in the world, it began to take a toll on Alexsandra’s mental health.
“Unfortunately, I lost someone due to mental health issues a few years back, around the time I was struggling,” she said.
That loss would become a turning point for her. Leaving the big city behind to pursue her college dreams is what led her to wind up in Raleigh, North Carolina.
While many would struggle to leave all they know behind, she decided to take this new journey head-on.
“Living through those hardships and remembering them reminds me that I’m still here and that I’ve made it through worse,” said Valentin.
A light on campus
Valentin is known as more than just a student but a peer mentor.
Peer mentors are there to provide others with help and guidance throughout their time on campus.
“I really like being able to connect with my students. I feel as though even during orientation, we have bonded and continued to nurture that bond as a class throughout FYS,” said Valentin.
While some see Valentin as another body on campus, other students see her as the foundation.
“Ali attempts to see the bright side of a situation or make the best out of it. If you’re stuck in a bad classroom, she’s going to try to make it more lively,” said Jamira Jones, a sophomore and psychology major at Peace.
Sitting in classes all day can be a struggle for students, but with Valentin present, it has been said to make it easier to attend.
“She is an amazing classmate who arrives with a joyful attitude, which makes coming to school much easier. She’s very funny and always makes the class discussion active and engaging,” said Brenda Ojeda-Echeverria, a junior and elementary education major at Peace.
Even through her trials and tribulations she has faced, she has no plans of slowing down.
“If you’re already going through hell, why stop right in the middle of it? You might as well keep moving until you’re out of it. Stopping just keeps you stuck in the worst part,” said Valentin.
After graduating from Peace, she plans to continue her education and aims for a master’s in speech pathology.
“Knowing that I’ve made it this far helps me feel grounded and thankful. I know I am still so young, but I have hope and passion for my future, especially in my career,” said Valentin.