When I arrived to the event room for the Day of Service I was extremely nervous with many questions. Would I be with my friends? Would I be outside in the heat all day? I eventually got a club to work with, Circle K with my best friend and I was excited because that was the club we picked a few days prior. Circle K is a volunteer-centered club and for the Day of Service we had the option of making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless, making dog toys for dogs in shelters, sewing blankets and making teddy bears for less fortunate children, or making cards for terminally ill children in hospitals. I wanted to do the cards because I enjoy drawling and I thought who does not like being written to? When we sat down, one of the club members gave out sheets of paper with pictures of the children on them with their age and hobbies. Also we had a few guidelines for the cards: make it simple and fun, and do not direct anything to the future, because we cannot tell a terminally ill child to have a nice Halloween, because they might not make it that long. It was initially difficult to decide what to write, what do you say to someone that is seven or even seventeen and dying? Eventually it became simpler. When we started doing the cards I did not think that they would have much of an impact at all but then I reconsidered, if this little girl is sitting in a hospital bed all day, a card addressed to her in her favorite color, with her favorite princess on the front might just make her day more bearable. We had the information of the ill children’s siblings also. I did not contemplate that the siblings are also suffering; they are afraid they will lose their brother or sister and they are probably getting less attention at home because the parents are probably focusing more so on their sick child. I am really glad I had the service project that I did because it made me very grateful for not only my own health but the health of those around me.

On October 22nd, 2013 there will be an event called “Send Silence Sailing”. This event is hosted by the Active Minds Club, which I am the treasurer of. The Active Minds Club’s goal is to change perspectives on stigmas about depression, anxiety, and other temporary mental illnesses. We have events to help student cope with anxiety, depression, and stress. Our “Send Silence Sailing Event” is to raise awareness about suicide among college students. Around one thousand one hundred college students commit suicide every year. To show the effect of how much that is, we are making one thousand one hundred origami sailboats (hence the name “Send Silence Sailing”) and they will be hung in trees and around the library. We will also be having stress-releasing games and a screening test and those that feel they are suffering from depression, anxiety or other minor mental illnesses will have the opportunity to speak to on location therapists, who can give them guidance. In addition, there will be music and snacks so the event should be enjoyable for all involved whether they are seeking help or not. Although the event has not happened yet, I know it will turn out well and hopefully we will be able to help students and give them an opportunity to talk to a professional if they feel necessary without the pressure of going to a doctor’s office. In previous years, the club has done similar events such as “Send Silence Packing” featuring a thousand book bags around campus and “Send Silence Walking” with a thousand or so pairs of shoes around the school, raising suicide awareness. These events by the Active Minds club are important because they diminish stigmas and help students cope with stressors included in the college experience.

On November 19th , Stockton had a showing of, “Girl Rising”. It was a documentary featuring a variety of stories of young women and girls from all over the world with a common theme of education. Most of these girls had less than primary education and some could neither read nor write. The documentary depicted their struggles being girls in underdeveloped countries; because they were girls, many were married off at young ages and not allowed to go to school. One story was of a young girl in Nepal whose parents were poor and gave her away so she could have a place to live and food to eat, but she would be doing hard labor, facing abuse, and being fed scraps. Some stories were not all dismal; some stories illustrated family settings where the parents made their children’s education a priority, which gave their daughters an opportunity to succeed. Watching this movie gave me an opportunity to feel truly grateful for being an American and having parents who value my education. I also thought about all of the social injustices these girls in undeveloped countries face and what the resolution would be. There were many astonishing statistics including the amount of sexual assaults on young girls, that rape is legal and is a socially acceptable punishment for girls in many countries, and that a majority of deaths of young girls in these countries are because of childbirth. It is hard to find a resolution because of cultural differences among many other factors. It is unsettling to know how far women have come in America but then to think about all other countries where women are not allowed the most basic rights.