Welcome to our special section, Thrive on Campus, devoted to covering the urgent issue of mental health among college and university students from all angles. If you are a college student, we invite you to apply to be an Editor-at-Large, or to simply contribute (please tag your pieces ThriveOnCampus). We welcome faculty, clinicians, and graduates to contribute as well. Read more here.
During quarantine, my family has decided that a different family member should choose a new activity each night to keep us occupied throughout this long quarantine. When my mom suggested for her night that we each write a poem about COVID-19 and the quarantine, we were all a little apprehensive. I was especially worried because I was struggling to write a new article for Thrive, which I had been working on for over a month, so I knew that writing a poem should be just as difficult. Surprisingly, this poem took me a whole 10 minutes to write.
Sometimes, taking a break from what is causing us stress and trying something new or finding a moment of rest, can help us look at that stress from a new perspective. Not only did this poem help me find a new perspective for my article, but it also gave me a different perspective of this pandemic.
She grieved her old ways while taking steps along a new path.
Filled with holes and turns,
She is unsure of where it leads,
And it is a scary thing to not know where you are.
But she knew that she was not alone,
Joined by 7 billion friends that knew how she felt
Together, she knew they would be okay,
Not the same, but okay, and maybe that was better.
The birds sang, and the sun still greeted her every day,
But she knew people were in pain,
And terrible things happened, and life became unstable,
But the Earth reminds us that just like the birds,
We too, will rise with the sun and sing again.
And after it all, she is reminded what gratitude is.
Not that she has everything anymore,
But that what she has is valued.
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More Thrive Global on Campus:
What Campus Mental Health Centers Are Doing to Keep Up With Student Need
If You’re a Student Who’s Struggling With Mental Health, These 7 Tips Will Help
The Hidden Stress of RAs in the Student Mental Health Crisis