By: Avyukta Krishna Nair
Part I: The Power of Clicks
"While one tweet or post won't change the world, thousands of them can disseminate beliefs that will”.
I understand that a lot of people believe that online activism is not a real thing or is just fully, a waste of time. However, I believe that although you may not see the direct impacts of online activism, it has a subconscious effect on people everywhere. When we had to write a paragraph on whether we felt that online activism was a form of care, I felt like I took the time to understand what activism means. And after our discussion as a class, I realized that a lot of people in the class had different opinions on what caring through activism means. Some of them shared that they believe if you care for a cause, you can only demonstrate true activism through physical action. Although that may be an accurate definition of activism itself, I do not believe it properly explains whether “online activism” is a form of care. While I was sitting in the classroom reflecting on my opinions and thoughts, the first thing that came to my mind was how I feel when I see someone post about a cause. I realized that I am not one to go out of my way to read the newspaper or dive into the news (like most people my age).
As a Gen-Z, I gain most of my information through the internet. This means that the only way I learn about problems that are happening around the world and in my hometown is through the internet. From our in-class activity, I realized that although online activism may not cause any direct, physical changes, it is effective in sharing information. And, in this day in time, sharing information online can be more effective than anything. At a world level, if it accidentally falls into the right hands, someone who has the power could make a change. At a state level, if enough people hear about the issue, they could gather online, make plans and physically make a change. Lastly, at a personal level, I believe that I have learned about several issues, and I have seen how several people have dealt with these issues (which gives me ideas on how to make my own change) all because of social media. Through our in-class activity, I was able to discover that because of social media, I have been able to learn about countless community and world-related issues which I care about and therefore, I concluded that I do in fact, believe that online activism is a form of care.
What Did I Do?
One example I thought of was the Indigenous people's water crisis. To me, the fact that [in Canada] Indigenous people do not have access to clean drinkable water is astounding. It angers me that Canada claims to be a first-world country when it can barely provide clean water to its native inhabitants. However, I would have never learned to care about this issue if it was not for a podcast. Because I listened to such podcasts, I learned about so many more inequalities that Indigenous people face such as mental health and addiction. I also learned that most of these issues stemmed from their [...] inefficient education system and access to careers/opportunities. Because I cared about this issue, I joined a reconciliation forum where I wrote a proposal and was granted $1000 to build and launch a High-Altitude Balloon to “near-space” with local Indigenous youth.
I also thought about my experiences while I was observing the Circle of Care posters. As I was reading the posters, I felt that the people running the organizations were truly amazing! I felt so much respect and love for the people who ran these organizations and dedicated their lives to helping others. However, I also noticed that no one in our class had ever heard of these organizations before. I figured that if these organizations were to create a more impactful online presence, they might have the opportunity to reach more people. Almost every issue that an individual faces can be linked back to mental health. I believe that if these organizations focus on making an online presence, more people will be able to find the help that they need when they need it.
What Did I Learn? All in all, I believe that online activism MAKES an impact and can cause societal change. Although the effects may not be instantaneous, the indirect effects of social media on people's minds are quite clear. I think that utilizing social media for outreach can be extremely useful for kickstarting social change.
Part II: Unleashing the Power of Pets!
They say that your dog is your best friend – and I could not agree more! To me, my dog is like my best friend. To my brother he is like a sibling and to my dad, he is more like a son however, on the other hand, my mother refuses to interact with him at all. I never truly thought about the animal- human interaction so deeply until we were asked to ponder this in class. From this activity, I became conscious of the multiple power dynamics in my home. I realized that I view my dog as my friend. Someone whom I will love unconditionally and who in return, will care for me at a personal level. My brother views my dog more anthropomorphically - like a younger brother or playmate. Someone whom he must look after (eg: take on walks or pick up poop) but also someone to play with when I am not around. You will often find them chasing each other around the house😊. My dad sees himself as slightly superior to my dog. Someone whom he loves so dearly, BUT, if he says the word, my dog must listen – no buts and no doubts.
My brother, my dad and I heavily rely on our dog to keep us mentally stable and happy. Even if you were having the worst day ever, just taking one look at my dog wagging his tail can make your day so much better. On the contrary, you will never see my mom show any affection toward my dog whatsoever – and this used to frustrate me. However, now, I do not believe she does not show affection because she does not truly care. I believe it is due to the culture in which she grew up. As Dr. Andrea V. Breen said in her article, “Self-awareness is critical for understanding our thoughts and feelings so that we have insight into how our own culturally rooted upbringings, backgrounds, and experiences can help us be more effective in our work, and when they might get in the way." My parents are both originally from India and although they have dogs as pets (my dad had two German Shepherds), there are also lots of stray dogs. Since these stray dogs are “untamed”, they are seen as dangerous. I came to realize that my brother and I may not understand my mom’s view on dogs but, I believe that she feels so differently towards them purely due to her cultural reflexivity.
What Did I Do? Although my dog plays a HUGE interdependent role in my life now, I have only had this blessing in my life for 2 years (he looks really cute I know). Nevertheless, my connection with nature goes back to when I was 4 years old. I was extremely lucky to have attended the Halton Waldorf School from JK till grade 8. My school playground was in a forest. We were taught to learn from and embrace nature. I still remember in Kindergarten till grade 2, we would go on “nature walks” to different parts of the forest. We would climb trees, and build forts out of sticks and logs which we found in the forest. We were taught that everything stems from nature and to care for it at a community level. We often observed the relationships between infrastructure and nature. We were taught to understand that we all come from the Earth. Several activities allowed me to reflect on my experiences and how it has affected me. One of them was the Story Telling Assignment. It was one of the first times that I took the time to reflect on how my childhood shaped who I am. I realized that being surrounded by so much nature and such caring teachers and classmates turned me into who I am at the core. Another activity that allowed me to reflect on my upbringing was the “build a multispecies environment”. I was able to reflect on not only activities which I had already participated in during elementary school, but also the environment that I was lucky to grow up in to incorporate into our ecosystem - sink!
What Did I Learn? I now realize the impact that nature has on my well-being. I find it essential to go on a walk through some trees every few weeks just to help take my mind off things – just as I did when I was a kid. And I suggest that everyone do the same. Since we have grown apart from nature as a society, I believe it is essential to take a moment and connect with our natural neighbors.
Part III: We are stronger together!
I find that being active is essential to maintaining stable/good mental health whether that is participating in a sport, going on a walk, or frequently going to the gym. Studies show that frequent exercise is good for reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. One of the key ways that exercise benefits mental health is by increasing the production of endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that help to regulate mood and reduce feelings of pain and stress In addition, exercise provides a sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy, which can help to boost self-esteem and reduce feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. I found exercise to be extremely beneficial especially in grade 12 and during my first year of university.
I believe that as individuals who have just hit 18-19 years old, we have entered a time where we may feel pressure to start figuring our life out. I know that I feel this pressure very strongly. I found that being physically active gave me a feeling of accomplishment which is something I needed – especially on those days when you learned that you did not do so well on an exam or when you realize you have a very stressful week coming up. Furthermore, I am on the varsity rowing team at the University of Guelph, and I find that being a member of the team has helped my mental health greatly.
What Did We Do? In one of our class activities, we were asked to reflect on a time we felt cared for in a school setting and my mind instantly went to my team and the extra support that the school offers for varsity athletes. The school offers several supports such as the Student-Athlete Mentorship Program (SAM). During the activity, I was able to reflect on the guidance I have received from my mentor and how that has positively impacted my physical health, mental health, academics, and overall first-year experience. I also realized through my reflection that during my SAM meetings, I would share my experiences and he would also share some of his. I realized that we were mutually supporting each other and helping each other navigate the student-athlete life. I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for the school for providing such a caring environment at the personal and community level and for my mentor who has been there to provide such promiscuous care for me the whole way.
Another activity our class participated in was, “imagine a caring community”. I found this activity to be quite eye-opening because it encouraged me to think of supports that the school already has and the resources that the school lacks. I realized that there are so many resources available that I did not know existed which could be beneficial for me. I spoke with my mentor about how I feel and that I struggle with writing. And he told me about the “writing workshops” where upper- year students take the time to mentor anyone who is having trouble with writing. As someone who believes that writing is not one of my greatest strengths, I realized that this was a support that I could and SHOULD be using.
With that new realization, I decided I was going to take advantage of this shared resource and thus far, I have had two writing sessions and I found them to be extremely helpful. In another activity, we were asked to create a caring community for the U of G campus and my group came up with the idea of making the library and its support more accessible. This made me think of the library itself and as ironic as it sounds, I realized that although I go to the library every day, I do not USE any of the books that the library has to offer. I decided to take advantage of this shared and public resource by finding books related to rowing and my exams.
My Reflection Being a varsity rower and a student is not easy. Being able to make 4 am practices 6 days a week takes dedication. As a rower, you cannot miss a practice because people in your boat depend on you. This can be quite challenging, especially in your first year of university. One of my teammates is struggling with keeping up with schoolwork as well as practices. Because I had spent time in class reflecting on the supports that the school had to offer, I was able to share some of that knowledge with my teammate so that she too could learn about the shared resources which the school has. Overall, there is no doubt that being on a sports team during my first year of university has been extremely challenging, however, I firmly believe that the pros outweigh the cons.
All in all, I believe that every individual should participate in some sort of physical activity. It provides numerous benefits for reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as improved self-esteem, social connection, and sleep quality. By incorporating regular physical activity into their daily routines, individuals can improve their mental health and overall quality of life. Plus, you never know, you might meet some similar- minded individuals who could become your friends and help you navigate through this labyrinth called life as well!
“ ....the local communities we transverse need to be built upon the desire for mutual thriving. This means empowering communities by resourcing public space, facilitating mutual aid through structured forms of useful communal resources, and building the ability to engage meaningfully with decisions as to how communities are run.”
Part IV: Are YOU Enough?
Am I doing enough? I am not sure about you, but this is a question I reflect on quite often. Growing up, you have so many goals and dreams, and it seems, that your only life purpose is to fulfill those goals. But at what point, can you stop and realize, “Ok I have accomplished enough”, or “I am doing enough work to achieve my goals”? As someone who was in her early teens when social media was becoming widespread, I was able to access the internet and see so many successful people – some of whom are younger than I am! Although I would like to think that I take only the positives from seeing these posts (eg: see it as motivation to keep working toward my goals) I also realized that it made me feel like I am never doing enough. This capitalistic and ambitious mindset can take a toll on your mental health and overall well-being (I also think that as a female, I constantly find the need to prove myself which does not help either).
As I mentioned in a previous blog, the activity where we were creating a more caring community on campus got me thinking about the mutual support that the U of G campus has to offer. One day when school was feeling extra challenging and I was feeling very lost, I decided to research the mental health supports that are available on campus. I discovered that we have therapists and peer support groups at the university. This surprised me as I had never known that such support was available to me. That very same day, I had a drop-in visit with a therapist, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I was able to share what was going on in my mind with the therapist and she helped me sort through my thoughts.
What Did I Do?
Before this course, one of the only things that would help me get through those challenging times is doing one of my hobbies. However, this course has taught me another method that works just as well - if not better! Every week, we have to share a post on Padlet about a time that we witnessed care. I realized that this activity made me reflect on my week and pick out experiences where I saw care or felt cared for by someone. Although I did not fully understand the impact at the beginning, I later realized that I was subconsciously feeding my mind with positivity. It was especially helpful thinking back on a challenging week and realizing that some good things happened to me. It made me realize that the week was not as bad as it seemed.
What Did I Learn? Sometimes I would share an Instagram post that talked about care happening somewhere else in the world. Taking the time to go back and recognize that I witnessed the care and that I felt the positivity through my screen and deciding to share it with other people highlighted the fact that even if my life was feeling glum at the moment, someone/something was being cared for in the world and that made me feel a little bit better about my day. I plan to continue this activity (maybe writing down such positive experiences) after the course is over because I believe that the care I felt at the personal, community, and world level has had an extremely valuable effect on my mental health over the past months.
I think it is extremely important to stay in tune with your personal goals and needs. You are the only one who can improve yourself. By taking the time to not only find help but find care and positivity in your life, you can make a difference in your health. Prioritizing mental health is crucial for achieving goals and living a fulfilling life.
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