Active Minds is a club on campus dedicated to raising mental health awareness throughout the Sacred Heart Community. With finals quickly approaching, it’s seriously time we join Active Minds in their movement toward making mental health a priority. Meet Megan McDonald, President of Active Minds, as she shares a little bit about this week’s Campus Celebrity!
1. What does Active Minds mean to you?
When I transferred here my sophomore year, I didn’t know what sport or clubs I wanted to get involved with. When I went to the involvement fair back in September, I remembered this booth, in particular. The president and vice president at the time made me feel welcomed (even though I didn’t know them), and they said everything that I wanted and needed to hear about mental health and a club like this. Supporting those who want to make a difference is something that makes Active Minds a worthwhile experience for me. Ever since I joined this club on campus last year, I have loved everything it has stood for. We all have our own issues and being part of Active Minds has made me realize that we’re never alone. Whether you’re fighting an inner battle with yourself or helping a friend with theirs, there are people, resources, and outlets that can always take care of you, even here on campus. Let Active Minds be one of them.
This photo was taken from Active Minds “Post Secret” event last year where students were encouraged to use this “top secret mailbox” as an outlet. Students wrote anonymous secrets (maybe about something they have been struggling with, for example).
“I’ve learned that raising awareness and ‘embracing the awkward’ regarding mental health conversation is so crucial nowadays. It can truly save a life.” – Megan McDonald
2. What do you hope that Active Minds can bring to SHU’s community?
Active Minds holds a spot very dear to my heart for several reasons. The fact that I’m part of a club that I enjoy, while helping others at the same time, is truly an awesome feeling. It’s important not to stay silent, but instead to talk about these important mental health issues. One of the best ways to help people who truly need it is by spreading that awareness. Some people may think that mental health shouldn’t be talked about so frequently because it might make others feel uncomfortable. As part of Active Minds, we feel just the opposite. We want to spread awareness about issues such as these so that it will eventually make “mental health talks” less uncomfortable for others. Although I’m going to be a senior next year and stepping down from my position as President from this past semester, I hope Active Minds continues to work harder every year (even after I graduate) to make our club more popular around SHU. Even though it’s not as well known as some of the other clubs on campus, we hope that it soon starts to grow and draw people in. If what we’re doing can help at least one college student learn more about this topic and even share what they know, then I’d say we’re doing our job just right!
3. What types of fun activities are you planning for the end of the semester?
Since it’s winding down to the end of the year so quickly already, we only have one more meeting to wrap up the year. We’re going to hold a movie night for the club (Taking any and all suggestions!). It will be on Wednesday night, April 29th, at 7pm in UC105 and all are welcome– we love new and smiling faces! As a club, we’re already talking about next super fun events to hold on campus next year to really get as many people involved as possible! We’re really striving to make this club bigger than ever. Our goal is to hold events every month for different types of mental illnesses. Some of the things we want to do for next semester include: A prayer/candle service in the beginning of the year related to suicide awareness, random acts of kindness notes for January’s Women Empowerment Month, tracing club member’s bodies to raise awareness for February’s Eating Disorder Awareness week, a Tunnel of Oppression in March, and Zumba nights for April’s Physical Wellness Month! These are just some of the ideas that our club members came up with, but we would love to hear suggestions from what the SHU community, so send any and all ideas our way!
4. Do you have any fun tips to relieve stress since finals are soon?
Finals are always a very stressful time. It’s the end of the year, everyone’s over school, the weather is getting warmer, and the countdown until summer is starting to hit the single digits. There are a lot of emotions for everyone and stress is probably at the top of the list. Although there are some websites that give good stress-reliever tips, I’ll share a few of my own! Meditation is always so helpful when we’re feeling stressed or anxious about something. It’s never a bad idea to take a step back from the crazy world around us, take a deep breath, and find 15 minutes of peace and quiet for ourselves. I’ve learned that after that time, I can go back to whatever I’m doing rejuvenated with a clearer mind. Studying always takes up most of our days (and nights) during finals week (obviously). One big tip I try to remind myself is to take breaks from that “8 hours in a row” studying and do something to make you happy. Running at the gym, hanging out with friends, watching an episode of your favorite show on Netflix…anything that will take your mind off of everything, go do it. Last year, one of our big activities for Active Minds was making CDs during finals week to hand out to everyone– people were so grateful! This year, do what you think is best for yourself. Eat food, get some sleep, drink water, and take time for yourself. After all, your mental and physical health are equally as important!
If you have any questions or if you’re interested in joining Active Minds, contact Megan at mcdonaldm@mail.sacredheart.edu.We would LOVE to have you!