Welcome back Blue Jays, for another academic year at Hopkins! We hope you all are having a great start to the semester and have reunited with or are newly finding the people who make you feel your best. We are excited to be back for another semester of Dear Tyler and Jay and to answer your questions about all things related to interpersonal relationships, friendships, love, dating, and more. This semester there are going to be more ways to engage with us and to learn more as we delve into ways to foster your social-emotional and relationship health with those nearest and dearest to you.
When we first started Dear Tyler and Jay, we wanted to provide a space for open dialogue about what students and trainees experience in their intimate relationships because we were passionate about the topic and realized there was a need to promote connection on campus. Not only did we receive an outpouring of questions (you can read our archive), but we gained a following of readers (check out the Spring semester stats in this column) who really connected what other students were asking and wanted to learn more.
We want to give learners the opportunity to have their concerns heard and their questions answered so they can make better-informed decisions about intimate relationships. We also want to reiterate that having interpersonal relationships, no matter what they look like, is a universal experience of being human. That means we make mistakes and we might not always know the right answers, but we are learning and growing to make sure our relationships are a positive addition to our lives.
Tyler Conzone, MPH, CHES, Coordinator of Gender-Based Violence Prevention, Education and Response
Tyler received her B.A in Psychology in 2019 and Master of Public Health degree in May 2021 from Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York.
She started working for Hopkins in May 2022 and her favorite thing about her job is coordinating events about healthy relationships and consent, and using social media as a tool to educate students about topics related to gender-based violence.
Tyler likes reading, trying new cafes, and spending time with her friends and family back in New York.
Jamelia ‘Jay’ Blake, LMSW, Health Education Specialist, Alcohol and Other Drugs
Jay earned her B.A. in Psychology from Seton Hall University in 2019 and her Master of Social Work from Rutgers University in 2022, both in New Jersey.
She started working for Hopkins in June 2022. Jay enjoys the opportunity to use the clinical skills she learned from school and her field practicum, especially in marginalized communities.
Jay enjoys exploring Baltimore, catching up on the shows she missed during grad school, and finding fun and simple ways to relax.
We’re both confidential resources at Hopkins. While privacy is always at the center of the work of all university staff, confidential staffers can provide help and support and hold on to the details you share (who, what, where, when) without the requirement of any involvement by other Hopkins staff, including the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE).
The column will be released bi-weekly starting Friday, September 29, 2023. Each article will feature two to three questions that we receive from students or trainees, which will be answered by Jay and/or Tyler (and sometimes an occasional guest star contributor). All questions that you would like answered can be submitted using this form, and will be anonymous to be mindful of your privacy. We may reword or summarize a submission for clarity or omit explicit, triggering, or identifying details if the letter is published.
While we will not be able to respond with help or resources to you directly via the question submission form, you can always reach out to [email protected] for confidential support navigating your experience or to help you access resources.
We look forward to learning more together and creating space for students and trainees to ask questions about how to navigate their relationships and build a community around them. Remember to submit your questions using the link below and follow @jhuwellbeing on Instagram for updates about our latest posts.