Charlotte
on
I am a mental health advocate. I’m also a 17-year-old, a proud Portuguese-Chinese American, a younger sister, a dog lover, a milk-before-cereal person, a photography hobbyist, a soccer player, an early-riser who also stays up late, a sleep-deprived teenager—I’m a person. Yet, whenever I talk to people in the mental health space, the first thing […]
Vibrant Communications
on
Name: Andres Pronouns: He/they Age: 17 Where I live: Texas What is your favorite fall activity? Spending time with friends, enjoying breakfast, and cozy fall vibes! Name: Angie Pronouns: She/her Age: 25 Where I live: Delaware What is your favorite fall activity? I love going to haunted houses. I have always loved spooky movies […]
Ayaan
on
CW: Mentions of suicide. Friends are incredibly important, especially for students who spend so much time around our peers during the day. Yet, there are so many aspects to friendships that often go overlooked. Personally, I have struggled with recognizing the true value of friendship, particularly as my mental health challenges have turned me into […]
Jennifer Bell
on
CW: Suicide When I was twelve years old, I walked onto my middle school campus for what seemed like an ordinary morning. The air was cold, and the skies were unusually gray for spring––a Friday the thirteenth on a chilly May day. As I went through the motions of my usual routine, walking to my […]
Natalia
on
CW: Death, substance use, depression, anxiety, suicidality Three weeks ago, I lost my grandfather to a battle against acute leukemia. While I’ve lost friends and faced other forms of grief in my life, this particular loss brought a sadness I had never felt before. In the past, I often judged myself for how often I […]
Ashley B
on
I’ve been working in the service industry since 2020, and let me tell you, it takes commitment. I certainly haven’t been perfect over the past four years, but I’ve learned that many people treat us like robots, expecting us to cater to their every whim. It’s striking how a segment of the population, regardless of […]
Ayaan
on
A while back, my mom’s cousin died by suicide. She shared with me that after they attended the funeral, her uncle told her that her cousin had committed the greatest sin. While many faiths discourage suicide, they rarely know how to actually talk about this issue in a healthy and productive way. My parents were […]
Mackenzie H.
on
CW: Mentions of depression and panic attacks. When I tell people that I suffer from depression, the response usually looks like this: a head tilt followed by, “Really? I would have never guessed.” I have a full-time job, I regularly communicate with my family and friends, I attend social gatherings, and have several responsibilities that […]
Aimee
on
When I arrived at college, I was very scared. Anxious thoughts circled my mind: What if people don’t like me? What if I can’t make any friends? What if I was going to be totally alone? Freshman orientation did little to ease my fears. While others seemed to easily find friends and form friend groups, […]
Brynne
on
It’s no secret that the process is a stressful one. I’ve watched many close friends and family write essay after essay, make edit after edit, and wait nervously for a decision. Society places the expectation on 17 and 18-year-olds to have their lives together and have a defined plan for the next four years of […]