A Glimpse into the Life of Maelyn McNeilly
Maelyn McNeilly is currently an academic coach at Nicholls State University. She mostly deals with students who are on probation status, and coach them through any problems they face in their everyday lives that is causing them to have low grades. Whether it is family problems, stress, anxiety, pressure etc., she helps students work through issues that prohibit them from reaching their full potential.
Maelyn is also currently a dance instructor at J-Mac Dance in Houma, La. She teaches classes in the afternoon throughout the week, and spends her free time on the weekend working with the competition team. She not only deals with the students she teaches, but the parents of the students.
One of Maelyn’s best dance students, Lizzie Bergeron, recently spoke to me about how much she admires Maelyn.
“She is not only a good dance teacher, but a great person to talk to about anything. Anytime I am upset or frustrated, she always takes time out of her busy schedule to make sure that I’m okay,” said Lizzie.
Although Maelyn is often concerned with the happiness and prosperity of others, she often becomes stressed herself. Her days are often full, leaving her little time to focus on her own wellbeing.
“I do experience anxiety and stress in my day to day life. Things can get really busy. I have a lot of appointments with a lot of different people. It also gets hard hearing the stories of other people and the obstacles they face in their daily lives,” said Maelyn.
When she starts to feel stressed out, she takes at least thirty minutes to be by herself. The alone time helps her to reflect on the conversations she has had with her students. She also says that taking a few minutes to compose herself goes a long way in getting her through the rest of her day.
Maelyn said that she believes that the public perception of anxiety comes from a lack of understanding. “People experience anxiety in different ways, and that often becomes confusing to others who can’t relate,” said Maelyn.
