Psychologists Maria João Campos and Jéssica Ferreira, former students at Universidade Portucalense, dream of a more colorful, egalitarian and inclusive world. They recently launched the children’s book “Let’s Color the World? In an interview with “Comunica UPT” they shared their academic journey and the professional challenges they embrace.

Comunica UPT: They launched the book “Let’s Color the World?”, for children between 5 and 10 years old, educators and parents. What reactions have you received?

Maria João Campos: The reactions have been quite good. We have received congratulatory feedback, especially due to the more playful component that this book presents. Furthermore, some educators who use it to explore some themes involving discrimination realize that, in fact, the way it is written and prepared has an impact on children. We have received videos, photographs and loving messages from the children themselves. Personally, I use the book with “my younger boys” and I feel that they are interested and understand the concepts in question. All this feedback is great and makes us very happy.

Jéssica Ferreira: I always said that this book of ours would make people talk and that is really what is happening. I even dare to say that it’s been better than we imagined and the happiness for all this couldn’t be greater! This book reflects everything we wanted. The love with which it was thought and created makes it so special in the message that it reaches people.

They wrote the book together, after meeting at Universidade Portucalense, in the first year of their Psychology degree, in 2010. What were the reasons that led them to choose to study Psychology?

Maria João Campos: I confess that in secondary school I was “lost” and felt that I wasn’t good enough at anything. But, in the 12th year, the Psychology subject sparked my interest in understanding the reason for our behaviors and the influence of emotions on our cognitions. Then, when I started my degree, I realized that Psychology is a much more complex world and, without a doubt, I fell in love with it even more.

Jéssica Ferreira: The option to enroll in the Psychology course arose from the desire and curiosity to understand more about the inner world of each of us, and how it might be possible to work on it. The fact that we have the subject of Psychology in secondary education leads us to want to delve even deeper into this type of topic. In addition, there was also an awakening to want to help people on an emotional level.

How did you spend your academic years?

Maria João Campos: The academic years were indescribable. I’d like to assign half a dozen words, but I’m not capable. I think it’s something you just experience, there’s no way to explain it. But they were quite good and challenging too. It was a period of great maturity, achievements and the development of good and great friendships. It is possible to participate in practice, in “extra-academic” activities and still be good students. The important thing, in my opinion, is to enjoy the course you are on. Makes everything possible!

Jéssica Ferreira: They were one of the best years of my life! Every moment we live and everything we acquire over the course of our undergraduate and even master’s degrees is incredible. It is possible to have the best of both worlds, the gatherings, the parties, the practice and also the responsibility, the acquisition of deeper knowledge, the relationships and bonds created with the teachers. If I could go back, I would without thinking twice. As far as Universidade Portucalense is concerned, I didn’t have any kind of relationship with the entity nor did I know anyone who did, but after all the years I’ve lived here, I can only say that it has become, and will always be, my second home.

After your degree, how did your professional career go?

Maria João Campos: After graduating, I opted for a more global master’s degree at another university. I can share that I hated it and adapting to it was difficult, especially due to the fact that Portucalense has a very characteristic, almost familiar atmosphere. After completing my master’s degree, it wasn’t easy at all. Being a psychologist is demanding, as you need a master’s degree and, subsequently, an internship to access the Order of Portuguese Psychologists. And in this sense, there were no answers or those that existed were precarious. But I did it! I had to move 400 kilometers, but several opportunities arose and, since then, I have learned a lot. And, at the moment, I am in a very happy phase of my professional life.

Jéssica Ferreira: After my degree, I went on to my master’s degree, this was always well defined. And from the end of this, a very complicated and difficult to manage phase begins. The course ends and we are obliged, in the field of Psychology, to do an internship to gain admission to the Order of Psychologists. This internship became one of the biggest challenges I could have had, due to the daily demand and lack of opportunities.