“It’s Okay Not To Be Okay” Mental Health Awareness for Rising Freshmen
By: Ember and Jenny of KIS
SDGs: Good health and well being, Quality education, Peace justice and strong institutions
Imposter Syndrome: “a behavioral health phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among high-achieving individuals” (NIH)
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by any transition - whether that’s moving schools, countries or experiencing a new culture. It’s never been common, however, to openly share this struggle and seek the support we need.
We both moved to South Korea with only a few years left of high school. Ember came to Korea in her sophomore year, and Jenny in junior year. As we became friends, we discussed the struggles of moving to a new school with an abundance of academic pressure, competition, and change in culture.
Joining the service-learning based course “Design Your Impact” in our senior year, we delved further into our common interest in Mental Health. We recognized how in a competitive academic environment influenced by South Korea’s extreme academic pressure, it was not uncommon to observe the stress and struggle students were going through in high school. Thus, as seniors eager to leave a lasting impact on our school community, we decided to take action for this “need”.
Components of our project included working with administrators of the school including counselors and directors to develop a mental health awareness curriculum for middle schoolers, starting a high school mentor and rising freshman mentee program to assist rising freshmen adapting to high school, as well as hosting parent information sessions with hopes of sharing the seniors’ common experiences, struggles, and advice for parents to assist their children during their high school years. Specifically, we designed an advisory session to equip rising freshmen with essentials to thrive in high school. As middle schoolers prepare to embark on this new chapter, it's vital to recognize that while high school can present challenges, it's also an opportunity for growth and discovery. Our focus was to foster mental health awareness, emphasizing that stress is a part of the experience but certainly not its defining feature. Through this session, we aimed to empower the students with healthy coping mechanisms to effectively manage stress and prioritize their well-being throughout their high school years. We aimed to ensure a supportive and resilient transition into high school life.
Our project not only addressed a pressing need but also instilled in us a deeper appreciation for service-learning and collective action. We hope our story could foster other young and socially aware individuals to take initiative and create positive change in their communities. If you are reading this in snapshotsproject.org, why don’t YOU try making a difference in this world?
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by any transition - whether that’s moving schools, countries or experiencing a new culture. It’s never been common, however, to openly share this struggle and seek the support we need.
We both moved to South Korea with only a few years left of high school. Ember came to Korea in her sophomore year, and Jenny in junior year. As we became friends, we discussed the struggles of moving to a new school with an abundance of academic pressure, competition, and change in culture.
Joining the service-learning based course “Design Your Impact” in our senior year, we delved further into our common interest in Mental Health. We recognized how in a competitive academic environment influenced by South Korea’s extreme academic pressure, it was not uncommon to observe the stress and struggle students were going through in high school. Thus, as seniors eager to leave a lasting impact on our school community, we decided to take action for this “need”.
Components of our project included working with administrators of the school including counselors and directors to develop a mental health awareness curriculum for middle schoolers, starting a high school mentor and rising freshman mentee program to assist rising freshmen adapting to high school, as well as hosting parent information sessions with hopes of sharing the seniors’ common experiences, struggles, and advice for parents to assist their children during their high school years. Specifically, we designed an advisory session to equip rising freshmen with essentials to thrive in high school. As middle schoolers prepare to embark on this new chapter, it's vital to recognize that while high school can present challenges, it's also an opportunity for growth and discovery. Our focus was to foster mental health awareness, emphasizing that stress is a part of the experience but certainly not its defining feature. Through this session, we aimed to empower the students with healthy coping mechanisms to effectively manage stress and prioritize their well-being throughout their high school years. We aimed to ensure a supportive and resilient transition into high school life.
Our project not only addressed a pressing need but also instilled in us a deeper appreciation for service-learning and collective action. We hope our story could foster other young and socially aware individuals to take initiative and create positive change in their communities. If you are reading this in snapshotsproject.org, why don’t YOU try making a difference in this world?