Photo by Rémi Walle on Unsplash
Music speaks volumes. Certain songs have a tendency to find you at the moment you need them most. After listening to the radio one day this past week, I fell in love with my new favorite song. “Truth Be Told” by Matthew West is helping me through the rough patches I have been experiencing lately. This song is all about recognizing that it is okay to not be okay. It encourages us to not put on a brave face anymore amid our struggles. At the end of the day, putting on a brave face will not help us get better. We need to face our problems rather than push them to the side. We can fake it till we make it all we want, but it will not solve anything. Authenticity and vulnerability are two important themes in this song, and they speak volumes about mental health recovery.
College Years
When I first started my college career last year, I had the opportunity to be a part of a program called Summer Academy at my university. This program helps incoming freshmen and transfer students transition to college. One valuable lesson students learn from this program is that asking for help is okay. In fact, it is more than okay. The moderators of this event have students complete a maze activity in which they are blindfolded. The moderators tell the students that they can ask for anything they need. It takes awhile for students to process this, but they will realize that the only way out of the maze is to ask for help. This has been the most powerful lesson in my life after years of schooling. It will stay with me for the rest of my life and I am forever changed because of it.
As a first-generation college student, I have felt pressured to figure out everything on my own. I originally did not know how to ask for help. Despite the initial struggles, I have found a family at my university that has helped me every step of the way. There have been good and bad days in my college journey as I battle mental illness, but each day is a gift. My professors, friends, and classmates challenge me every day to be the best person I can be. They have helped me in more ways than they will ever know. Because of them, I now know that is okay to ask for help.
Asking for help is a sign of strength and takes a lot of courage. It is difficult to do, but you will feel so much better once you know that you do not have to go through it alone. We all need help at times, and that is okay. We are in the middle of a pandemic, and this means that we all need help more than ever. There is nothing wrong with needing this help. Whether it is talking to a family member, a friend, or a therapist, do not be afraid to seek help. Asking for help will do great good, for both you and others. You will be an inspiration to many, and will change the world one life at a time. Way to go, you!
