When Rachel Rovinsky sat down for their interview, a bright pink set of stiletto acrylic nails stepped into the spotlight. The nails, Rovinsky said, are just one way they’re able to deepen their sense of self.
Rovinsky is a PhD student in microbiology and also acts as the co-lead facilitator of Neuropride at UW-Madison, an organization dedicated to supporting neurodivergent individuals on campus. Rovinsky proudly identifies as queer, Asian and autistic, and says that self-care has played a crucial role in expressing each aspect of their identity. But for Rovinsky, the road to expression wasn’t always easy.
“It took me a while to understand that there was a cultural barrier happening because my mom, who’s Asian, versus my dad, who’s European Jewish,” Rovinsky said. “My mom didn’t really know how to deal with hair that wasn’t straight.”
In addition to facing cultural obstacles in their hair-care journey, Rovinsky says that their mental health posed a barrier to their hygiene routine.
“As a neurodivergent person, hygiene has always been kind of hard for me to do regularly,” Rovinsky said. “My own routine is just not as consistent as I perceive other people’s routines to be.”
Despite these obstacles, Rovinsky has found consistency in developing a solid hair routine for themselves.
“It’s been helpful to finally have a good routine for my hair in particular,” Rovinsky said. “My hair care routine is one place I know that is grounding and relaxing for me and I don’t have too many of those in my life.”
Engaging in their hair routine has provided them with a calming space in the midst of everyday craziness, Rovinsky said. Along with the mental benefit, doing their hair has further connected Rovinsky with their cultural roots.
“Establishing that baseline of core self-identity and expression before tackling anything else, it does rejuvenate me and part of that is embracing that Jewish heritage of myself that I hadn’t in years past,” Rovinsky said.
In connecting with their heritage, Rovinsky discovered the importance of community within their self-care habits. Whether it’s from a cultural or social standpoint, Rovinsky believes no one should have to face their self-care challenges alone.
“There’s a lot of very individualistic self-care language that’s gone around in the past several years,” Rovinsky said. “I think self-care is essential to building that foundation for good mental health, but only if you’re involving community in some way, shape or form.”
Rovinsky said that having the support of friends can further encourage others to care for themselves. They say that going to nail appointments together or sharing advice can help make more of a lasting positive impact than going solo.
Addressing their current nail set, Rovinsky said it has given them an outlet to express their queerness.
“I guess what I’m feeling on the inside is expressed on the outside, and the kind of energy that I think my nails are giving, is what I want to convey through my appearance,” Rovinsky said.
Rovinsky’s self-care journey has provided them with a way to connect each of their distinct inner identities with their outer looks. Having this harmony within their routine has not only increased their confidence, but remains crucial to maintaining good mental health.
This principle is the inspiration behind the new app, Vero, built by UW-Madison students. The Vero app is committed to providing each user with ways to embrace their identity. With an emphasis on community and empowerment, it ensures that each person can look, feel and do their best. Because as Rovinsky said, happiness starts with self expression.
“If you don’t have a sense of grounding in your core self and how you want to express, it can be really hard to improve any of those other moods,” Rovinsky said. “It helps my mental health that my sense of self is more solid.”
Sources
Rachel Rovinsky, Co-lead facilitator
neuropride.uw@gmail.com