One of my suitemates is part of BCAS (Buckeye Campaign Against Suicide) and had been advertising RUOKAY? Day to us for a while. With plenty of time after class on March 2nd, I stopped in and had a great time breaking boards of insecurity and petting plenty of therapy dogs. Ellie is known for her selfies, so of course I had to get one with that fluffball of cute. I included the picture of the dog with Amazon Prime sunglasses, just because.
Me & Ellie!
Cool dude pup.
Besides the dogs and plywood boards, I got a chance to talk with a few mental health organizations, learn about mental health around the world, hear from different advocacy organizations on campus, and look into signing up for the REACH 5k on April 21st. I’ve always been incredibly passionate about mental health advocacy, but to be in a room of so many people taking an initiative to spread awareness really inspired me. In high school, I never had enough time or resources between sports and academics to get involved in a service organization (aside from the seasonal National Honors Society projects). The OSU Involvement Fair is a somewhat stressful first-year experience, and I never took a close enough look at the volunteering organizations: none really caught my eye, I didn’t know which way was north, and it was hot.
Thanks to this experience, I can’t wait to visit the BCAS booth in the fall to learn more. I’ve found a cause I’m passionate about, and am itching to contribute.