Expectations…
Created by…
Society
A checklist of value
Measuring…
You and me
We wake up every day
With a job to do
Suppress your emotions
Don’t let them break through
Have all the answers
You’re the one they look to
Ignoring our emotions…
Has become nothing new
I am society
Who’s rules dictate
If you live free
Follow the group
Keep up with me
Become useful
Or…
…a nobody
Follow the line
And latest trend
Escape from reality
Let’s all pretend
Glued to our phones
And…
Technology
The least social we’ve ever been
And yet we call ourselves…
…free
Mental health
The taboo of all words
A Genderless ailment
Who’s mugshot
Is Blurred
A cancerous killer
Who chips away over time
Who’s existence is ignored
With the phrase
“I’m fine”
Stay away
From…
Society’s eyes
The things we value
And what we normalize
Emotions flood
Boil and rise
The mask we wear
And every disguise
Submerged in self-hatred
Surrounded by lies
A secret we keep
And every tear we cry
As the level…
Begins to rise
We keep the water
From reaching our eyes
Mask the surface
And cover it with pride
For no one knows what we hide
Stress and anxiety
Life will provide
Yet in society…
…happiness
Is always…
…implied
For those out there
Who fight battles every day
Fighting for loved ones
Making the decision to stay
I understand
The pain you’re in
The longest road
And places you’ve been
For not every battle can be seen…
…when
Most of the time
They happen…
Within
But…
Nothing stays the same
Or ever has since…
The only thing permanent…
Is impermanence
Things in life will happen
There are battles you will lose
But the only thing stopping you…
…is you
Our failures try to convince us
We’re defeated
Out
And done
Unobtainable expectations of perfection…
Achieved by…
…no one
Every lesson taught…
…and learned
Every scar fought…
…and earned
Forges us…
…in the furnace of life
Living on the edge…
…like the blade of a knife
Time heals all life’s wounds
If you give it the chance
You can too…
Because happiness will find you…
…out of the blue
Everything is temporary
Including…
…what you’re going through
There’s no better time to heal…
Than now…
…in the present
Every day is a new day…
And today is no different
You’ve just started life
You have so much to do
Unlimited potential
With a new point of view
You have so many talents
And gifts…
…to give
You have loved ones counting on you
And a whole life to live
I promise you’ll look back
On days like today
And thank yourself…
…for choosing to stay
Statistics
The National Library of Medicine found that almost half of College students had a psychiatric disorder within the past year, with less than 25% actually seeking help.
According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, 73% of College students experience a mental health crisis
More than 80% of College students felt overwhelmed with 45% having feelings of hopelessness
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in adolescents
Abdu-Glass, E., Schlozman, S., & Beresin, G. (2017, March 6). The College Mental Health Crisis: A Call for Cultural Change – Part 2. MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds. https://www.mghclaycenter.org/parenting-concerns/college-mental-health-crisis-call-cultural-change-part-2/
Blanco, C., Okuda, M., Wright, C., Hasin, D. S., Grant, B. F., Liu, S.-M., & Olfson, M. (2008). Mental Health of College Students and Their Non–College-Attending Peers. Mental health of college students and their non-college-attending …
Survey Reports | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2016). Nami.org. https://www.nami.org/Press-Media/Survey-Reports
Active Minds. (2019). Statistics – Active Minds. Active Minds. Statistics – Young Adult Mental Health Stats and Figures – Active Minds
The Aims Read program is an initiative of the Council for Equity and Inclusion. Each year a book is selected as a common read we can all learn from and grow our understanding of our world’s human diversity. A Writing Contest closed out our 2022-23 year working with the title Tell Me Who You Are: A Road Map for Cultivating Racial Literacy by Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi. We asked our campus community to submit written works reflecting on personal intersectionality (interconnected social identities) or “othering” experiences to fit with the main themes from the book. Entries were blind-judged by 3 faculty and staff members. The Aims Read is proud to highlight the winners of the contest here in the Aims Review! Their voices are important insights into some of the many diverse perspectives within our college.