Dr. Natalie May learned something interesting during the pandemic: She’s an introvert.
A researcher at U.Va.’s School of Nursing, May founded and serves as director of Change the World RVA, a nonprofit that provides hands-on support to high school students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Pre-pandemic, there were group gatherings twice a week. May realized connections could continue — but in a different way.
“We are in fellowship with our students and volunteers and friends of the program; that’s the magic of our organization,” she says. “We couldn’t meet in person, [but] because we have relationships already established with our youth, it was easier for us to stay in touch and support them.”
There is no “graduation” from the program, May says, noting that the teens are encouraged to stay in touch. “We’re here as a parent would be — for emergencies, somebody to come celebrate a holiday with,” she says. “The trajectory is really like having children whose need for you is changed but not gone forever.”
Working from home, May completed a book — “Self-Care for New and Student Nurses” — that was published with co-authors in April 2021.
“The most important self-care superpower is paying attention in the moment and being curious about what you feel,” she says. “Ask yourself, ‘Why am I tense? What can I do to make that feel better?’ That curiosity extends to others and is especially important with teenagers, because teens sometimes do things that seem very weird.”
