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Jenny is studying journalism at the University of Brighton.

"Being a young adult in any generation has never been a walk in the park. I know this because I have heard countless stories from my parents of having to ‘call the landline’ to contact potential crushes and about the acne which I complain about that mum claims to have had 10x worse. ‘Back in our day we didn’t have mobile phones or FaceTime, you had to actually speak to people’ and ‘I had to walk 30 miles through 50mph winds and treacherous forests just to get to school so you should be grateful for the long train journey’ have often been used to encourage me to be grateful for my young adulthood in the 2000s, putting to an end any protests I might have about my very much first world problems.

"And of course, I am grateful. I spend lots of (probably borderline unhealthy) time on my phone to message my friends and the perils of Southern Rail are (potentially) more enjoyable than a rainy walk to university, but to suggest that being 20 in 2022 is the most carefree existence going probably, in my experience, isn’t hugely accurate. I of course appreciate that living in the Western world puts me at a great advantage which I am hugely thankful for, but whatever the situation I don’t believe anyone is immune to challenges and mountains to face.

"A mountain that I have been facing and am continuing to face is a condition that turned my life upside down and then some. After a bump in the head in November 2021 I developed post-concussion syndrome, a brain injury condition which can last for an unknown period of time with varying symptoms for different individuals. I was forced to take extensive time away from university, quit my job, and adjust every area of my life, all whilst battling a plethora of physical and anxiety symptoms that were at times debilitating. Although I have definitely seen improvement over the past months I continue to suffer with PCS and recovery certainly isn’t a straight line. The days I wake up knowing that they’ll be the worst physically often result in a bad day mentally, thus being incredibly challenging days to face. But the days where I wake up knowing the symptoms may be lesser I push myself to be positive and appreciate the possibilities that may be open for me.

"I’m not grateful for what I am experiencing with my health, and as much as I know this isn’t possible there are days where I am desperate to redo the day of my injury and avoid the pain and fragility it caused me, but if this experience has taught me anything it is to not take a thing for granted. Yes, being a young person can be very challenging, and I admit that there are certainly still things I complain about far too often, but it was only when my daily routine was taken away from me that I realised the beauty and comfort I found in it. I remember the first time I managed to walk 10 minutes to the shop to get some fruit after my accident. A task that before I found menial and arduous was suddenly a huge achievement and despite the wind and rain and my slowly breaking shopping bag, beneath I was bursting with joy.

"Finding joy in the everyday is my new goal, and although I wish it didn’t take a health condition to make me understand that, I am so grateful that I have joys in my everyday to find."

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