Ananya O.

UVic Student Mental Health Blogger

Hi! My name is Ananya (she/her) and I’m a first year Psychology student. I’m from Vancouver, and now I study on the traditional territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, and I acknowledge and respect the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ people whose historic relationships with the land continue to this day. I’m very passionate about destigmatizing mental health, and diving deeper into how our environment and society affects the way we think. 

I didn’t initially set my sights on psychology, but after the pandemic, I understood the detrimental impacts of isolation on our mental wellbeing and decided to study psychology. I’m especially interested in neuroplasticity, and hope to research structural and functional changes in the brain as a result of our behaviour and mental health. 

My goal (for now) is to pursue law after undergrad, and hopefully teach it one day, so I can pass on knowledge for generations to come. When I’m not hunched over my Psychology textbook, I love going out for walks on the beach, cafe-hopping, and having movie nights with friends. I love to read historical fiction novels, recreate some cool ancient recipes, and explore fashion throughout history (notice a pattern yet? Hint: I love history). I’m really looking forward to creating a safe, inclusive space through the Student Mental Health Blog!