Having survived from the start, Amethyst is learning to enjoy life

Hi, my name is Amethyst Swanson. I am 18 years old and a graduate of the St. Vincent de Paul Youth House. I lived in the house during my senior year of high school and moved out in September of 2019 to my own apartment.

Amethyst, Youth House Grad, cutting cake

The turnaround of a lifetime, and a birthday cake, too.

Before entering the Youth House, I was a different person. I was very stressed and uptight because I had no home or space that was mine. At the time, I was working more than I was going to school because I needed money to feed, clothe and take care of myself. I was on my own; an unaccompanied student navigating life and school without a parent.

The Youth House gave me a safe space when I needed it. There were expectations and stability that I needed. I didn’t always like having rules to follow, but I knew they were in place to keep us safe.

The Youth House provided this safety as well as food and other resources. During my time at the house, I accomplished many things including maintaining employment, graduating early from Willamette High School, enrolling in Lane Community College, participating in Eugene-Springfield’s Young Women’s Fire Camp, and transitioning into my own apartment where I am living now.

Willamette H.S. Principal Dan Hedberg does the honors as Amethyst receives her high school diploma one academic year early.

Willamette H.S. Principal Dan Hedberg does the honors as Amethyst receives her high school diploma one academic year early.

Now, even though I still work a full-time job while attending classes at LCC, I have found ways to put myself first so I can be at peace. Life is constantly changing, so I don’t know who I want to be in the future. I do know that I want to be a good person though.

If I could offer one thing to my younger self, I would tell her to take time for herself because I didn’t start doing that until really recently. It’s not easy when you learn to work for survival from such a young age. I’ve learned how important it is to practice self-care, even if it’s just tiny things like getting your hair done or getting your nails done. To make a time out of your day or week for yourself to have something you enjoy, brings a lot of peace.