As a disclosure, I would like to point out that the event I plan to write about in this blog has not yet happened. However, the preparation that the event entails is a true testament to how much is involved in putting an event together. As secretary of Active Minds Club, I have learned what the club stands for and what it takes to spread its message to other students. On October 22^nd, the club is hosting an event to raise awareness on suicide rate among students in college. An average of 1,100 college students commit suicide every year. To spread the word on campus, the club is making 1,100 origami sailboats and hanging them in the trees to “Send Silence Sailing.” Students struggling with mental disorders such as depression and anxiety sometimes do not get the help they need, and it is imperative to break that cycle. Even making the slightest impact in the thoughts of students will make a difference and satisfy the goals of the club.

Through holding an officer position in the club, I have learned a variety of important skills such as leadership, communication, initiative and teamwork. My friend Nicole and I had arranged for all the girls on our dorm floor to help with folding the sailboats, a demonstration of initiative and teamwork. In pursuit of making this event successful, brainstorming with the president and the club has given insight as what to do for food and entertainment. Catering was established for the food and music will be played during the event. Competitions for prizes on the day of the event will be used to peak interest and encourage participation. As a way to make a difference aside from raising awareness, forms to detect mental disorders will be given at the table. After all the ideas voiced, emails sent and boats folded, Active Minds is fully prepared for the event on Tuesday.

Taylor Adams

On the weekend of November 15^th, several of the officers of Active Minds club attended the Tenth Annual National Active Minds Conference. The trip was open and free for all club members. The event took place at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Club members from all over the country were in attendance. The national organization represents over 400 chapters that share the common goal of raising awareness about mental health issues among college students. Attendees had their pick on a variety of activities from workshops to speakers to singers. On the first day, one fellow member and I attended an interactive leadership seminar. The speaker running the program was an incredibly humble and welcoming person. She radiated confidence and life. Later on, we discovered that she is currently recovering from an eating disorder and depression. Her story touched many and reminded us why we were carrying out this mission. We learned a myriad of skills and tips as well as life lessons.

The day was concluded with the annual Stomp Out Stigma Walk which represented putting an end to harmful titles attached to people because of their differences. We were given our choice of color glow stick. The color we chose was symbolic for the reasons we were participating in the walk: for a friend, for a family member, for yourself, to change the world. The following day consisted of more insightful workshops about club recruitment and retention and fundraising tactics to keep the clubs running strong. The third day we were introduced to the Strangers Project. The founder Brandon explained his global work of collecting strangers’ stories. It started with him simply sitting in a coffee shop with a large sign that read, “What’s your story?” He sparked people’s attention and has acquired over 7000 stories around the world. This inspired us to start something similar in the Stockton community. All in all, the trip was an incredible experience that opened our eyes to new opportunities and perspectives that we can utilize at Stockton in reaching our ultimate goal.

For my first official weekend here at Stockton College, I chose to participate in the tenth Annual Day of Service. The day offered ample opportunity to research clubs, volunteer for good causes and meet a variety of new people. Eager to find the right club to participate in, I quickly ate my bagel and proceeded to find the best fit club to enjoy a fun-filled day of service. My friend and I chose to work with Circle K, a club dedicated to providing service for children, elders, animals and the homeless. The tasks for the day were to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless shelter, sew teddy bears and blankets as well as make cards for the children in the hospital, and braid homemade dog toys for the animal shelter.

I spent a majority of my time making cards for terminally ill children. I was supplied with information of specific children with illnesses such as cancer. I found it slightly difficult coming up with what to say in the cards. For one boy’s card, I wrote “Thanks for being Awesome” with the word “awesome” written in 3-D with paper. I tried my best to personalize their cards with their names as well as their interests. At one point, I was running out of ideas: I drew a picture of a cat on the front of the card with the message “Here’s a kitten to brighten your day” inside of it. Although a card is a small, insignificant gesture in the grand scheme of things, it could potentially mean the world to a parent or the child (even if it is only for a moment). Overall, the experience was fun as well as helpful for others. Ever since I came to Stockton, my world has expanded immensely. Instead of simply completing a service project, the experience has opened my eyes to certain possibilities in terms of future volunteer work and even careers.