By Kaitlyn Williams Staff Writer
“You are better than me at saying the truth when it needs to be said.
I haven’t said the whole truth. I am not good expressing my feelings and emotions verbally, which is why I write them and eventually box them up or throw them away,” the first volunteer at the “How Are You, Really?” event read aloud.
On Wednesday November 28, the Roy Room was filled with students for an event hosted by Active Minds called “How Are You, Really?” The event gave students the opportunity to anon- ymously share how mental health has affected their lives through a medium of their choice whether it be poetry, art, or music.
The event began at 7:00 pm with written pieces. The anonymous pieces were read out loud by Active Minds club members. Everyone in the crowd was silent as they listened to the emo- tional pieces. There was an atmosphere of understanding and support.
Co-president of Active Minds Hannah Mishriky ‘19 explained the goal of the event, “We want to open up the conversation about mental health so there is no stigma for people who want to come forward or for who are seeking help and want to start on that path.”
Other Co-president, Maddy Moore ’19 explained, “When someone sitting in the audience has struggled or is struggling and hears someone else’s story that lines up perfectly with theirs, there is that instant connection that can really help people center themselves. When you hear a story and it matches yours you know you are not alone.”
The readings were followed by a live performance by Chris Spodick ‘19, where he shared three original songs that relate to struggles dealing with mental health.
“My family dynamic, and I think a lot of family dynamics don’t talk about feelings,” Spodick said. “So, I found that in writing poetry I could. By actu- ally learning to play guitar and to sing I was able to tell complete strangers about mt story. It kind of diffuses the power of any type of problem you’re feeling,”
If you are interested in joining Active minds you can follow them on Instagram and Facebook. They also have a mailing list to receive mental health care reminders and notifications of meetings so you can become more involved.