The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.
We are living in an era of instant information. Anything you want to know about is at your fingertips. Not to mention how many diverse voices are present online. Continue reading Undiagnosed and Anxious
In the past few years, using a bullet journal in lieu of a planner has boomed in popularity, particularly among adolescents. This is partly due to social media sites such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (often found under the #bujo or #bulletjournal hashtag), where people can turn to for ideas and where to start, if not an aesthetic to hopefully achieve. They’re colorful, creative, and an opportunity for people to have their journal truly be a reflection of them. Continue reading Bullet Journaling Beyond Organization
The cliched image about someone having a “green thumb” typically involves someone in their backyard, their overalls covered in dirt, hands protected by thick gloves that are rough to the touch. The garden can be filled with colorful plants, various kinds of produce and herbs, or vivid greenery with large leaves. Typically, it can include all three.
One of the biggest news stories this week centered around Olympian gymnast Simone Biles’ decision to withdraw from the competition, citing her mental health. She opened up about the pressure that she was facing, especially as the top performer in her sport. Similarly, Naomi Osaka made similar headlines when she chose to stop making appearances to press conferences after tennis tournaments because of the toll that they took on her mental health before withdrawing from Wimbledon altogether. Continue reading Athletes and Mental Illness
Most people think of self-care as an ongoing process of maintaining one’s living space, hygiene, and ensuring that basic needs are being met. It’s not always easy or fun, but it’s an essential component to being well. While these activities can seem easy to manage for most, for those dealing with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, or other conditions, these tasks require a greater deal of time and effort and may not be as often maintained. Social media has also contributed to the idea that buying all the right beauty/wellness products can maximize the outcomes and the products may feel like a necessity in the minds of consumers. Continue reading Self-Care and Influencers
A common mindset among those who are diagnosed with mental illnesses is wondering if it’s something that they brought onto themselves. There may be guilt associated with it, like the person thinking they did something wrong or ashamed that they didn’t handle past situations well enough. Continue reading “Is It My Fault?”
The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.
In a world of such immediate communication through smartphones and the Internet, it is important to recognize the importance of words and how they can be used both positively and negatively.
Certain phrases demonstrate powerful exclusion against one or more groups or classes based on sex, class, or ability. Phrases of sexual exclusion may include “boys and girls” or “ladies and gentlemen,” automatically assuming that everyone only adheres to one of these two particular genders. Phrases of class exclusion include “poor people” or “developing country.” These common phrases may shame or offend individuals who are part of a community that is wholeheartedly and uniquely theirs. Lastly, phrases that demonstrate ability exclusion include “disabled person” or calling someone “crazy.” Again, these words are hurtful and insensitive to certain groups.
Many times, I have been upset by people calling others “messed up” or “slow” with regard to their mental abilities. Some people are not aware that these words they are using are extremely exclusive and offensive. In an effort to learn how I could actively improve situations like this, I took a class that focused on using sports as a means to empower individuals with a variety of abilities. It did so through inclusion and respect for all. We had guest speakers come into the class to talk about their experiences playing sports and how it made them feel accepted and become a stronger person. I gained a lot from this experience and I learned that everyone is deserving of equal respect and should never be treated with such ableist language.
Recognizing microaggressions in everyday language is one key to preventing bullying. Take this situation for example: you overhear a conversation escalating and hear a teenager tell a 60-year-old man “okay boomer, go back to figuring out how to use that smartphone of yours.” Using disrespectful language like this towards someone who is from a different generation is a dangerous form of mockery and discourtesy. I find myself trying to be especially conscious of what I am saying when dealing with people of different age groups at school and at work, so I can help prevent hurtful things like “okay boomer” from being said.
We always want to try our best to include everyone and avoid saying things that can be misinterpreted as hurtful or exclusive. That being said, it is still okay to make mistakes. Sometimes we need to ask for a refresher every now and then on what phrases may be offensive to somebody. This is especially important when it comes to respecting gender identity, race identity, and class.
It is important to remember that a conversation about language should be an educational conversation, not a shaming one. If you are in a situation where something hurtful is said, perhaps take some time to discuss the history of what was said and what the current climate around it is. You can also offer others some action steps to learn from, for example, by suggesting a YouTuber who creates great content on the subject. For a more systematic approach, you can also:
Have you ever had a conversation with your child about offensive language? Have they ever told you that you have used language or terms that have made them upset? How did you react? Did they explain to you why? Have you ever taken any steps to unlearn language that you used to use that you have since learned can be offensive?
Sometimes it can be hard to figure out what information on social media sites comes from reliable and credible sources. Just because something sounds true does not mean it is. Here are some tips on how to decide whether a site is trustworthy before you share/retweet it on your news feed! Continue reading How to Tell When a Website is Trustworthy
The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.
Growing up, I always struggled with making acquaintances, let alone friends. I would get nervous and start panicking at the thought of looking like a fool or doing something embarrassing. Through some hard work of getting more used to talking to people at school and work (exposure therapy anyone?), I eventually got over the fear but the lingering effects are still there. In short, I don’t really have any friends besides two or three people I still speak to from my undergrad days that ended almost two years ago. Due to the recent end of the pandemic restrictions, I decided that this was going to change. I was tired of always feeling alone and having no lasting social friendships. Continue reading Making Friends After College
The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.
My anxiety starts to get bad when I feel like I don’t have control over the things around me. I like to know what’s going on around me and what is going to happen in the future. I think this is why my planner is so important to me. By filling out my planner I create the structure I need to keep anxiety under control. Continue reading My Planner Makes Me Feel Better