Issue #6: Peace in the Unknown

This newsletter shares peer stories that may touch on sensitive themes. While we hope these stories offer inspiration and connection, please remember that the Little Light Community Collective is not a mental health or crisis service. 

Our content is based on personal lived experience and isn't a substitute for professional medical advice. Please take care of yourself as you read, and if you need professional support, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified provider or your local crisis service.

Quote

“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.” - John Allen Paulos

Opening Note

Hi everyone, 

Welcome to the sixth edition of the Little Light Newsletter! I'm so grateful you're here and joining us on this journey. 

The unknown is something I've always struggled with. I like having a plan and feeling in control, but life doesn't always work that way. New beginnings, unexpected changes, and unfamiliar places can bring feelings of overwhelm, loneliness, and hesitation. 

Yet I've learned that while stepping into the unknown means letting go of certainty, it also creates space for growth. It's often in those moments of vulnerability that we build meaningful connections, discover our resilience, and find peace right where we are. 

In this edition, we explore the courage to embrace new beginnings alongside our fifth Little Light of the Month, Apollonia Giebel. Apollonia and I first met through a leadership summit that brought together young entrepreneurial leaders from across the country. What began as an unfamiliar experience unexpectedly led to a genuine friendship: a reminder that some of life's greatest gifts are found just beyond our comfort zones. Through her story of navigating unfamiliar spaces and building community, Apollonia shares a beautiful perspective on embracing uncertainty with courage and openness.

Apollonia Giebel

Apollonia Giebel is an incoming MSc Management student at Warwick Business School with a degree in Business Administration. She is passionate about creating a positive impact in communities through entrepreneurial action and has spent two years empowering communities and advocating for mental health through her time in Enactus. In her free time, Apollonia enjoys hiking, baking, or being active with family and friends.

Thank you, Apollonia, for sharing your light with this community.

With that, we warmly invite you all into her story.

Kind regards, 

Lily Baker

Founder & Collective Lead

Little Light of the Month—A New Beginning, Apollonia Giebel

My biggest and scariest decision was leaving my hometown and everyone I knew behind, but looking back, it was also the best.

I grew up in a small town in Germany called Trier. Growing up in a smaller town meant knowing everyone my age. At all events around town as well as at birthday parties, I always knew the circle around me. I loved the comfort of being surrounded by people and places I knew, as it allowed me to feel safe and sheltered. However, as I got older, I always wondered about the possibilities in bigger cities, getting to know new people outside my hometown circle, and exploring more parts of the world. This thought intensified once I travelled with my high school on a trip to London as well as accompanied my father on his business travels. These experiences made my wish of leaving my small hometown and moving somewhere bigger, more exciting, and more vibrant grow stronger and stronger.

After graduating from high school, I was on the search for a program that would allow me to travel and learn. When I then happened to come across an exchange program in Vancouver, Canada, that would allow me to study abroad, strengthen my English language skills, and explore a completely new part of the world, I was incredibly excited. I have never been to Canada before, but my uncle told me it was an incredible place with beautiful nature and friendly people. I have always been fascinated by marine wildlife and loved hiking, so it felt like a natural fit. Weeks before my departure, I started preparing, creating itineraries, and marking places on Google Maps that I wanted to make sure I would not miss.

Fast forward to my travel day: I still remember my best friend and cousin driving me to the airport and feeling so thankful for not having to start my travel alone. Sitting in the car and going through my travel documents for what felt like the hundredth time, I started to feel nervous. I received small travel gifts from friends and family, like a stress ball or pictures. Although the presents were thoughtful, it didn’t make the leaving process any easier and turned my feeling of seeing them again soon into a feeling of saying goodbye for a long time. After hugging both goodbye, I stepped into the busy Frankfurt Airport, filled with people running in multiple directions. This was the first time I felt alone in the hustle and bustle of people, but it also excited me because I would, for the first time, set foot into Canada, a completely new place to me, and get to meet other students coming from a different country, just like myself. Arriving at the gate, a big crowd of young people had formed to line up to board the plane. Finally, sitting in my window seat, I started realizing the decision I had made: to travel across the globe to a new city, visit a university for the first time, not know anyone I could ask for help, and meet people who spoke a different language from me. A sense of unease crept over me, but I tried to focus on the new experiences that awaited me.

After what felt like an eternity of travelling, I finally arrived. I felt extremely exhausted and found myself standing in line with many other students waiting for their visas. Then, after, I still remember looking out the window of the taxi that was taking me to the student residence I was about to call home for the next four months. Seeing the high-rises for the first time was exciting because they symbolized my new beginning abroad. However, at that moment, I felt overwhelmed by all the new impressions and lonely in a place where I did not know anyone, bringing up all the discomfort I already felt starting my travels.

My arrival at the residence did not go as smoothly as I had hoped. I had imagined a comfortable-looking room, as the pictures online showed. They always depicted a room with a cozy comforter and some colour on the walls. Besides a welcoming and homey room, I also always imagined inviting hangout spaces, which would allow everyone to mingle and get to know each other. However, instead of arriving at my “home away from home,” I was greeted with a sterile and empty-looking room that did not show the comfort from the pictures. I also discovered some dead bedbugs, and that the comforter package that I had ordered did not include any cover. Instead of vibrant hangout spaces, I found empty rooms with barely enough space for ten people to sit. From there, I started a downward spiral of discomfort. The trip and time abroad that I had been looking forward to for so long suddenly felt exhausting. I began to feel lonely in a much bigger city than I was used to and overwhelmed by unfamiliar ways of doing things. Forming new connections was difficult as I became aware of the limitations of my vocabulary, as well as the constant exhaustion of communicating in a language that was not my mother tongue.

Two days later, my university hosted the orientation day. Multiple booths were spread all over campus, allowing one to discover diverse groups to join or amenities to explore. People were coming from everywhere, running around and gathering all the free samples handed out. From every corner, I could hear people talk in multiple different languages, and there was a buzzing sound of songs playing from the booths. Although it felt exciting to know that I would now be part of such a vibrant and busy place, gathering so many people, I felt so small, alone, and scared of what was to come. The different impressions that came flooding over me were almost too much, and I started questioning my decision and almost regretted exposing myself to something so new, big, and far away from home.

While standing in the hallway of my university, a fellow student suddenly approached me, asked for my name, and shared that she was also new to the university and the program. This girl was kind, optimistic, and welcoming, and her blonde hair almost seemed like the sunshine I needed in my moment of struggle. My friend found excitement in any new activity she started and showed me that alongside the overwhelm I was feeling, I could also choose to focus on the excitement this journey had to offer. Inspired by her example, I slowly learned to be more open and willing to take the first step toward others who were as shy and uncertain as I had been at the beginning. My experience became fun and engaging ever since, and I was able to meet many new people as a result. With my growing confidence, I began to embrace the beautiful, exciting, and new experiences that came my way, thanks to this one stranger who became the friend I needed.

Today, I love looking back on that time and could not be more grateful for the path I chose.

My experience taught me that after every low point, there will always be another high point, even though it may not be visible at the time. I now see new experiences and places as something positive, something that may still be challenging at times but also allows you to grow and discover new opportunities, friendships, and unforgettable memories.

~Apollonia Giebel

Reflection

"When you step into an uncertain situation, what is one small anchor or practice that helps you feel grounded?"

If you’d like to share, we would love to hear from you. You can submit your reflection here. (Note: With your consent, we may feature your reflection in an upcoming issue to share your voice with the community.)

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Closing & Feedback

Thank you for being here and for reading our sixth issue. We are deeply grateful for your support and hope you’ll join us again next month on August 27th, 2026.

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Thank you for reading and for being part of this circle of light.

Until next time,

Keep your little light burning.

✨Little Light Community Collective✨