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Warning: Sensitive Content - Articles Every Other Week
Warning: Sensitive Content - Articles Every Other Week
Sacramento Coronavirus Protest
Sacramento Coronavirus Protest
By: Melanie Rosales
As the CoronaVirus has become a worldwide pandemic, many safety precautions have been taken to flatten the curve of the spread. From social distancing and switching to online school to having states go into lockdown and governors issuing stay-at-home orders, this is not something we should ignore, or take lightly. But, some groups have felt that the leaders of our world and our government are just trying to control us, and are going to force vaccines on the people after the situation is controlled. Because of that, they have started rally’s, and taken it to the steps of state capitol buildings. Is 250,000 deaths not enough to convince people that we need to work together and take every precaution we could take?
The Sacramento rally took place on Friday, May 1st at the California State Capitol Museum, led by Heidi Muñoz Gleisner, Denise Aguilar and Tara Thornton (also the founders of the Freedom Angels), where hundreds of people came because they felt that they’ve been restricted from their daily life/ business and want the state to reopen.
Jeannie Favela, a protester at the rally said, “(Her friends who own a business) can’t provide for their families when the economy is shut down, when their small businesses are shut down and they can’t work.” “A poll released Friday by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies found that 70% of California voters are concerned about lockdown measures ending too soon, leading to a resurgence of the coronavirus,” as said in “CHP arrests protesters in Sacramento who defy shelter-in-place order to demand California reopen,” posted on San Francisco Chronicle (May, 2020). I think the Freedom Angels are ignoring the fact that due to their beliefs and pressure being applied to the government meant to protect them, they’re putting more people in danger than they are helping.
The Freedom Angles are a group of people organized in California and New Jersey who, as Ms. Muñoz Gleisner said at the rally, “(Freedom Angels) have always been about freedom,” in response to being called ‘anti-vaxxers’ and ‘anti-lockdown.”
They are prepared and willing to protest and push as hard as they can to reopen states. As their voices have echoed across the states, citizens of Ohio, Colorado and Michigan have shown their support by protesting as well.
As the Corona virus situation has become more intense, scary and as our loved one’s all over the world have been taken, it’s saddening that instead of coming together as one we’ve been confronted with times of riot. My hope is that moving forward we can all realize that the only way to get through this is by considering all ideas, people, and status of these people and making an effort to flatten the curve.
Mental Health Part 2
Mental Health Part 2
By: Melanie Rosales with help from Ms.Hong
Ways to Identify If You Need A Mental Health Day
If you have had a major, stressful life situation or change, especially if unexpected, it may be time for you to have a mental health day- or at least a break. Anytime you have been feeling overwhelmed with feelings of sadness, depression or anxiety for a long time and are feeling like you are reaching that breaking point and need time to calm yourself. Sometimes these days are simply needed to decompress and reflect.
Ways to Spend Your Mental Health Day
Sometimes it's just at home, where you feel comfortable and that's your space to relax. Some people use their mental health day to see a counselor, sometimes out of town to get away from the stressful situation, or going out to hike in nature. Ms.Hong explains, “sometimes people will take a mental health day and stay at home because it's comfortable, but if it isn't and that's where the stress is happening, it's a good idea to get away from that.”
Ways to Cope if You Don't Have Access to One
In class, you can always ask your teacher for a break and be honest with your teachers about what you're struggling with. “I think at school there are friends and teachers who can support you so talking to a counselor is a way to do that,” says Ms.Hong. If you can, you can go to Starbucks, walk to the library, or simply take a walk. If you have a family member you can visit on the weekend, that would be a great thing to do as well.
Positive Mindset
Ms.Hong explains,l “everyone isn't perfect, everyone goes through struggles, but that's the reason we can relate and reach out to each other. No one can relate to perfection. Everyone can relate to struggling and being imperfect,” later adding, “we do the best that we can. We should all be helping each other.” If you are reaching your breaking point, please talk to a trusted friend, adult, anyone who you believe will support and try to understand.
What Are Mental Health Days and Do Students Need Them?
What Are Mental Health Days and Do Students Need Them?
By: Melanie Rosales
As society has grown and teens have spoken up more commonly, there has been an uprising in talk about these teens' mental health. Along with that, some have voiced their opinion on students being able to take an absence from school or work, as a ‘mental health day.’ I have asked some students and teachers here at our own school about what this means to them, if they have ever needed such days, and if it's something to strive for. For their privacy on such a personal topic, I have decided to keep the people in question anonymous.
Do you know what a mental health day is?
Student 1: Kind of, the teachers don’t really talk about this stuff too much with us.
Student 2: No, what the heck is a mental health day?
Student 3: Kind of, but our teachers don’t talk about this with us often.
Teacher 1: Yes, I do.
Teacher 2: Yes, kind of. A day to take a break, but it means a lot of different things to many different people.
Teacher 3: Yeah, I know what it is, definitely don't do it as much as I should though.
Definition on Wikipedia:
Definition on Wikipedia:
“In many workplaces throughout the First World, such as the United States and New Zealand, a mental health day is where an employee does not come to work and takes a sick day for reasons other than physical illness. Some people may consider a mental health day to be when someone simply does not feel like coming in to work, but the most accurate use of this term is related to true mental illness rather than a desire to skip work.”
Now that you know what it is, have you ever felt you’ve needed such? If you did, but were not able to, what were the ways you got through it?
Now that you know what it is, have you ever felt you’ve needed such? If you did, but were not able to, what were the ways you got through it?
Student 1: Yeah! School work sometimes gets too much and the students as well, and sometimes you just need a day to get yourself together. How I got through my day was kind of just pushing through, these emotions are draining.
Student 2: Yes, I’ve had really sad days where I've broken down, I couldn’t even move my body. It’s hard to get through them.
Student 3: Not for me personally, but I have friends who would have needed these days.
Teacher 1: Definitely have needed a mental health day, and have been fortunate enough to take them. Our contract allows for four personal days for whatever reason.
Teacher 2: Yeah, I have. Just felt completely overwhelmed by everything. Didn't really feel in control and felt like I couldn't get things done. I got through it by taking those needed mental health days, but these things really take a toll. It can really set the tone for the rest of your day. I've talked to therapists, and I like to practice mindfulness and some breathing exercises.
Teacher 3: Yes, definitely. I struggle with what I should do on my mental health days. It’s hard to be home when kids are home because I don't have much time to myself. My co-workers usually help me out when I let them know what’s going on, so when I let someone know it helps a lot. I like to make a list and try to see what I can get done. Sometimes it's scary long, but it's good to see what I need to do and check some stuff off.
Do you believe students should be able to have these days? Why or why not?
Do you believe students should be able to have these days? Why or why not?
Student 1: I think yes they should because a lot of the time in school you get really overwhelmed with school work and your peers and sometimes a day like this is needed to relax yourself.
Student 2: Yes because if they are feeling down on themselves, they wouldn't be able to focus at school and wouldn't learn so it would be pointless.
Student 3: I think students should get access to these days, but should talk to a counselor so they don’t skip school for fun.
Teacher 1: Yes, because life is stressful and it's good to be able to destress. But, I don't want them to be used irresponsibly to extend a vacation. There should be rules to prevent these things from being taken advantage of.
Teacher 2: I didn't even consider that until now. I don’t really know how to answer that. I think students deserve more support to help process life in general that inevitably creates the need for mental health days. The idea of a mental health day takes a lot of responsibility in really analyzing if you need these days. I think if students have access to this concept, students need to be trained as to what these days are. It can get misused. Adolescents might not be ready to decide if a mental health day is what they need.
Teacher 3: I think they should earn those days, some kids miss too much school already, and maybe they are already taking those mental health days. We can't make up for that day, there's still work that needs to be done.
Overall Consensus
Overall Consensus
Mental health is just as important as physical health and should be treated as such. Mental health days are something that takes responsibility to define, and if you are truly feeling overwhelmed and down for an extended amount of time, talk to your parents and counselor about how to make a step in a positive direction. If a mental health day is something you need after taking time to think about it, and talking to a counselor, it may be very good for you, but this isn’t supposed to be some “easy way out.” Look out for an upcoming article on ways to take a mental health day and things you can do during school or after to relax yourself.
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