Mental Health Awareness Week
All over Marquette’s campus last week, you might have seen green posters on AMU billboards, green pamphlets in the counseling center, scratches of paper at residence hall front desks, and green ribbons on students’ backpacks. If you are not informed already, you might be wondering, what all of the green ribbons were for?
In the hopes of of trying to stomp out the stigma surrounding mental health, one week in the month of April is dedicated to Mental Health Awareness. Throughout this week, every day, from April 16-21, there was an event taking place somewhere on campus to spark discussions about mental health, offer support to those who might be struggling, and encourage students to start talking about mental health with open minds.
In the 1800s, the color green was used to label people “insane” back when people thought there wasn’t a cure for mental issues and locking people up in a hospital was what they thought was the only solution. In today’s time, the color green represents mental health awareness and providing one week to really get the conversation started on how to take care of your mind.
By spreading green posters, pamphlets, scratches of paper, and ribbons, all over campus, Marquette is here to show you, you are not alone in your struggle. Marquette is emphasizing this week as the start of the conversation, but hopes that it will remain a conversation to be had every week following this one. They want their students to inform themselves on ways to take care of their own mental health, keep an open mind when talking to friends and classmates about their struggles with mental illnesses, and discuss the many opportunities student have at Marquette to ask for help or speak with someone in the counseling center.
You can help start the conversation and stomp out the stigma surrounding mental health today by sharing your story, reaching out to friends, or simply by showing your support by putting a green ribbon on your backpack.
With that, I will conclude this article with some wise words from Albus Dumbledore:
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest times if one only remembers to turn on the light.”