Month: September 2017

Artifact #1: R.E.A.C.H. Pin

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This pin represents an Artifact that expresses a meaningful topic that is extremely relevant to my life.  Through the First Year Success Series, I took a session focusing on suicide awareness.  This R.E.A.C.H. session engaged me in conversations with like-minded peers about erasing the stigma behind mental health and suicide overall.  We talked about different ways to reach out to people that may be contemplating taking their life.  I learned what to say to someone directly if they are having suicidal thoughts, and I discovered ways to connect them to resources on campus here at The Ohio State University.  After losing my own mother to suicide, I have taken this opportunity as an initiative to help others suffering from mental illness(es) and suicidal tendencies.  This pin is a constant reminder to me that help is out there, and there is always light even in the darkest of spaces.  The colors scarlet and gray show that being a buckeye means we are all united – and we should help each other. Taking this session certified me as a Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper, and I am proud of this accomplishment.

S – Service Engagement

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Service to my community is influential to my drive to give back to the people who have helped me. I always feel that the most effective way to be grateful is to pay it forward and help someone else. Because community service is so important in my life, I have chosen to volunteer for the Suicide Hotline. This is a large commitment, and in my eyes it is definitely worth it. I am currently in training. After completing my training, I will be volunteering a minimum of six hours per week for the next six months or longer. I am very excited to start this journey of assisting those in desperate need of help. My goal from this opportunity is to make a difference by saving lives because I personally feel that suicide is preventable. Sometimes people really just need someone to talk to that is open-minded with no judgement. Through this service opportunity, I will gain learning experiences that I will continue to carry with me for the rest of my life.