Describe yourself.

My name is Aqilah Elshabazz-Palmer. I'm 22 years old and I am majoring in Health and Exercise Science. I want to help people get healthy! I want to help people be the best and healthiest versions of themselves so they can decrease their chances of poor health related illnesses. Hopefully after I finish undergraduate school, I can do some personal training to save up for graduate school (and because I love it), where I plan to achieve my dual doctorate and masters in Chiropractic and Acupuncture.

What is self love to you?

Self love to me is being content with yourself but being comfortable enough with yourself to notice when you're becoming too comfortable, or beginning to settle. You also have to be selfish at times, not with complete disregard for others, but you have to make sure you are doing what makes you happy.

How do you practice self love?

I practice self love by doing things that I love. This helps me not lose myself in life. I make sure I take time out for family and friends, for working out, doing martial arts, my music. When I am doing things I love and spending time with those I love, I'm at my happiest. Feeding off of other peoples energy and surrounding yourself with positivity and others who lift you up, can help you realize your potential and frankly how awesome you are when you really need it. I definitely need to keep working at it, but I'm getting better.

What are you most passionate about and why?

My religion and my loved ones. The two intertwine. My religion is more of a way of life, you have to constantly practice it throughout the day. My loved ones keep me focused. They both serve as a compass at times when I feel lost and I honestly don't think I would be the person I am without either one of those parts of my life.

Is there anything about you (gender, race, religion, etc.) that has motivated you to be who you are?

Honestly all of the above. Being a black, female, Muslim has definitely shaped the way many people have perceived me before even getting to know me and I've always tried my best to challenge any negative views others have had of any of those parts of me. In a way, other people’s negative views as well as the positives have definitely made me strive to be the absolute best me I can be, not just for me, but for anyone falling under those three categories.

What events in your childhood and adolescence has helped to shape your idea of self love?

Bullying definitely. I was definitely different than most of those around me growing up and it made me very self conscious. I feel like that lack of self-confidence as well as being different made me an easy target and I didn't do much to stop it. Until I started to really and unconditionally love myself for who I was. I began to realize that everybody has quirks or "perfect imperfections", they're what makes you, you.

Another large one was Kung Fu. I was one of the only girls and the youngest in my class and just terribly shy. My training brothers and my Sifu definitely broke me out of my shell. They pushed me and trusted me with certain responsibilities that, in turn, made me trust in myself. Pushing myself to new limits was and still is uncomfortable, but the self-confidence I've gained through Kung Fu has definitely made me appreciate and love myself more.

What are some things you've had to overcome within yourself to reach your success?

I'm very indecisive and never really trusted myself. These are probably still my two biggest obstacles to this day, but some of my best experiences in life have been because I just ignored those two traits and took a leap.

Who has helped to motivate you through difficult times?

God firstly, my parents, my best friends and my boyfriend. They know me better than anyone and show me/tell me exactly what I need to hear when I need to see/hear it.

What are some things you do to keep yourself on track in the face of difficult times?

I pray. Prayer is one of the first things I do when I am faced with a tough situation because honestly, some things are just out of your control. In hand with prayer, I also meditate to help calm myself down and clear my head. Then I plan. I plan as much as I possibly can to tackle the given situation and then give it up to God.

College students face a lot of adversity, especially when it comes to balancing themselves and their responsibilities. You wrote a Facebook status about the lack of self care college students face. What are some of the struggles they face and what advice do you have for college students who are overwhelmed?

Since I have been in school I've noticed how much stress we as students deal with. The pressure to outperform our peers and outperform our previous marks or grades -if not handled correctly-can lead to anxiety, depression, and weight gain as well as substance abuse. I can understand all of them but there are ways to prevent them. I just feel like many students were not given the tools to take care of themselves in a way that maintains their physical, social, mental, and emotional health. Sometimes students get so absorbed into school and family life, extracurriculars, work or all of the above, that they forget to take care of themselves. As a result, they begin to feel the need to resort to study drugs to stay on top of their work, or skip meals, take something to "help them relax", stop working out, or isolate themselves to focus on studying. I feel like our generation lacks balance. The advice I would give to students who feel overwhelmed would be honestly to just stop and breathe. You need "you" time and not you in your room with your books. I mean get back to that hobby you used to love. Call a family member or a friend that radiates good vibes. Drink some Tea! Go for a walk. Hit the gym for 30-45 minutes . Oh, or a scary one ..take a nap. You're body needs recovery time and you can only function if you take care of it. A strong mind needs a healthy and strong body to operate at its maximum potential. If you want to be the best you you can be, take care of yourself and you'll see the progress.

Lada: I met Aqilah back in college. I always appreciated her humor, delightful presence and her optimism. Her daily posts are uplifting and her word of advice for college students are pivotal to their success. Thank you Aqilah for this amazing interview!