Essay On Diversity And Wellness

486 Words2 Pages

In the fall, I believe focusing on diversity and inclusion is critical to the first year experience. Northwestern students come from such a wide variety of backgrounds and geographic locations, and most students do not know anyone other than a roommate when coming to campus for the first time. As a result, Wildcat Welcome and the first few weeks of school turn into a frenzy as everyone desperately tries to find friends, and in this desperate search, it is easy to resort to making connections with people similar to oneself. However, with students from every walk of life and corner of the globe, there is so much to be achieved by creating relationships and maintaining a dialogue with students of different cultures, backgrounds, and opinions. …show more content…

Northwestern’s reputation for being a high-pressure schools frequently motivates students to attempt to “out-accomplish” their peers, at the expense of their mental health. Accustomed to receiving high grades and having the support of family nearby, the college environment can be a shock to the system. Just a couple of months ago, the son of a family friend of mine, a 21 year-old college student, committed suicide. The aftermath of this tragic event was painful to experience and painful to watch, and I would not wish it upon any family. Tragedies like this, where students believe they are in a situation so dire that they must take their own lives to escape, can be avoided if guidance and education is available. In winter quarter, as students begin settling in, the cold weather and the stress of midterms can be detrimental to students’ self-confidence and emotional well-being. In becoming a Peer Adviser, I hope to teach new students how to maintain their mental health and show them by example that it is always acceptable to take a break or say no to things in order to keep oneself emotionally strong. I also hope as a Peer Adviser to make my Peer Adviser group a community where students feel safe to share their concerns, so that I can be there for them in times of need. There is a stigma with an association of weakness surrounding mental health, and I hope to help eliminate this stigma so