By Jillian Blanco ’18
Staff Writer
“I’ve contemplated suicide a few times.”
“I don’t love you anymore.”
“I dance when no one is looking.”
What is it like to have your deepest secrets plastered on a wall for everyone to see?
Hundreds of Merrimack students found out this past week with the “PostSecretU” project put together by Merrimack’s Active Minds organization.
This project asks students to anonymously submit secrets that are then put on display for the entire campus to view. It also serves as an interactive project; students are given the opportunity to provide feedback through sticky notes.
Secretary of Active Minds Brittany Dempsey said that the overall purpose of the project is to “help spark conversation about hidden issues that most students do not like to discuss publicly.”
It is no secret that mental health issues, especially on college campuses, have unfortunately gained a lot of media attention due to the increasing amount of students being impacted by it.
The American Psychological Association states, “research clearly shows just how much strong mental and behavioral health supports can improve life.”
Support is exactly what Active Minds hopes to gain and provide to those that have participated in the “PostSecretU” project, as well as to “create a change for how some may see mental health” all throughout campus, said Dempsey.
Active Minds is still a fairly new club on campus, yet the organization as a whole has had a large impact nationwide. According to its website, the Active Minds organization has more than 400 campus chapters throughout the country. Merrimack College’s chapter has already held many events on campus including Fresh Check Day and National Day Without Stigma. The next event for the club is the Suicide Awareness 5K taking place on Nov. 13.
Active Minds meets every Monday at 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Murray Lounge in the Sakowich Campus Center.
