Meet Tolu Adepoju: Full-Time Working Professional, Graduate Student, And Content Creator
prioritizing my wellness has been my saving grace
prioritizing my wellness has been my saving grace
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that we are human.
A quick intro to you.
Hey! My name is Tolu Adepoju; I am a full-time working professional, graduate student, and content creator. I like to call myself a unique hybrid of things as I work on different tasks, projects, and roles, and every day looks different. However, to help summarize things, I work in marketing and operations presently. I am currently attending the University of Yorkville, pursuing a master's degree in Counselling Psychology and in the practicum phase. I enjoy creating YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram content during my spare time. I also enjoy spending time with friends and family, having a good coffee date, and catching flights.
Why did you decide to pursue a Master's in Psychology?
I have also been interested in Psychology since I was very young but never realized how much I was interested in it until my undergraduate degree in Business and Management. I am Nigerian, and I remember being a young child, I would see people on the roads who struggled with their mental health. The conversation of those around me was, "they were cursed for doing something bad by the gods" I knew innately this was not true, and did not sit right with me. Fast forward to being a teenager, and in my early twenties, I found myself passionate about health and fitness. The more I learned about it, the more the starting basis for creating change was formed, not just for myself but for clients.
During the pandemic, I was at a crossroads where I wanted to do more, help people and make an impact, especially in the Black mental health space, as there is such an apparent lack in this space, and this led to my decision to pursue my Masters in Counseling Psychology and work towards being obtaining my degree to become a therapist and work with BIPOC community.
What has been the hardest part about balancing work and school?
Boy, oh boy, this has been very tough to keep it 100! Major work deadlines and school all seem to fall during the same week, which can be highly stressful. They are both full-time jobs, and often I use a significant chunk of my weekends to ensure I complete assignments, finals, and all. The hardest part also is realizing that at the end of the day, we are only human, and there are times or seasons when we might soar in one area, but others might lag, and that is okay and not to beat oneself up. Also, realizing my time is limited, I had to be more mindful about what I prioritize and give my energy to.
How do you prioritize wellness while working and going to school full-time?
Prioritizing my wellness has been my saving grace and has honestly gotten me through the past two years. Some of my favorite ways to prioritize my wellness are:
Intentionally scheduling breaks: I have to credit my therapist for this reminder, and now I have become a habit. As I would schedule everything else, I had to do it in my calendar but not schedule in time for the most important thing: myself. Now I ensure I build a bit of time into my schedule to fill my cup back up by doing whatever I desire and lessen my chance of burnout.
Going to therapy: This has helped to validate my experiences, learn effective ways to cope with my stress, learn better communication skills, and also allowed me to know how to be gentle with myself.
Working out: I'm a big believer that, as human beings, we are made to move and be active, which impacts our mental, emotional, and psychical health. I enjoyed going to the gym and lifting weights as the post-workout endorphins make me feel good, and the amount of stress and anxious thoughts are drastically lessened when I get movement in.
Socializing and connecting: We are social beings, and even though life is busy, it can feel like we have no time for ourselves, let alone others. Making time to connect with loved ones and friends has helped fill my emotional cup, strengthened and grew existing relationships, and provided the support needed to get through things and life.
What are your favorite ways to unwind?
My favorite way to unwind is slow mornings during the weekends to go at a slower pace. I enjoy working out as this helps me move any stress or worries. I also enjoy spending time with friends who keep me laughing, reminding me of how loved I am and why I keep going!
What are you looking forward to in 2023?
I look forward to entering practicum, learning about counseling, and building my counseling skills. I also look forward to flexing my creative muscles with content creation, having fun, and challenging myself. Lastly, I look forward to traveling and want to visit two new countries I have never been to. I know France is one of them, but that is all I know for now.
Find Tolu on Instagram here.