Mental Health Moments: What I Am Thankful For

⌛ By Isabella Mershon ⌛

Every year around Thanksgiving, people always ask, “What are you thankful for?” I used to think it was cheesy to go around the table/classroom and say what I was thankful for, but as I get older, I realize how blessed I am. I think it’s important to take  the time to reflect and really think about all of your blessings while letting the people in your life know you appreciate them.. Throughout the last two years, one thing I have learned is that life is not promised and we should always appreciate the little things. This week, I allowed myself time to reflect on all of the good in my life. 

Education

As graduation is approaching, I have definitely been more nostalgic. Thinking about “growing up” and moving onto the next chapter of my life is scary, exciting, sad, and more. I will not glamorize my education and pretend it was not hard. It seems that colleges expect students to take a full-time course load, be involved in student organizations and clubs, volunteer, spend time with family and friends, take care of themselves and their wellbeing, and be employed. Some people are able to do this, and I commend them. For myself, I found there was not enough time in the day to accomplish all of that. I had to prioritize getting a job to financially support myself over volunteering and joining clubs. To compromise, I got a student job. I felt this was a great compromise, because I was able to work and support myself while also getting involved on campus. As hard as my schooling has been, I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to further my education. I know that not everyone is able to or wants to further their education after high school, and that is okay. Everyone’s path is different. For me and my dreams, my education can help open so many opportunities that I would not have without a degree. I find myself complaining about my schooling a lot and how stressful it is, but I cannot be more glad that I pushed myself and am almost done. This last month, I have been reflecting on the beginning of my college experience. I was a scared freshman in a major that I did not like, I was struggling to find my “place” in college, and I was questioning whether or not Ohio University was for me. I decided to commute the second semester of my freshman year to reset and try to figure out what was best for me. I felt embarrassed to do this, because it was not the “normal” path that people take. For me, it was what I needed and allowed me to find the major I am in now, to find a student job that I love, and to get in a better place mentally. I know that scared girl freshman year would never guess where I would be today, but she would be so proud of how far I have come and how much I have grown. 

Employment 

During COVID, I had to leave my student job at my university. When this happened, I was crushed, because I really loved my job. I went a couple of months without a job because I was concerned about my health and safety. I was thankful I had the support of my family to allow me to make this decision because I know so many people could not do this. After a couple of months, I decided to get a job. Throughout the pandemic, I worked at two banks, served at a restaurant, started my internship at Hourglass, and was offered my campus job back. Through these various roles, I learned so much and matured. I was able to get so much experience while financially supporting myself. Now, I know if I had kept my job at the university throughout the whole pandemic, I might not be where I am today. While initially I was so upset I had lost my campus job, now I realize that it was for the better and I am in a better place today because of it. 

Writing 

Before my job at Hourglass, I did not have a lot of time to write for “fun.” Most of my writing was for class assignments. When I started at Hourglass, Kaylin let me write some blog posts right away. At first, I was very apprehensive to write something that was not a research paper for people to read. I did not feel like my writing was good enough for other people to want to read. When I wrote my first couple of blog posts, I was able to self-reflect and write about my mental health journey, which is something I am very passionate about. Through writing these blog posts, it has helped me so much. It allowed me to be introspective  and compile my thoughts. Through this process, I feel I was able to really grow and learn so much about myself. Personally, I have learned that I am not alone in my journey. When writing some of my blogs, I have turned to my peers and talked to them about their own journeys. Through these conversations, I have learned that although mental illnesses can make you feel very alone, there are so many people that feel the same way. 

Family and friends 

The most important thing in my life right now is my family and friends. I know that whatever I do, they will always be there for me and try their best to help me with whatever I need. During  the pandemic, I moved out of my old apartment back to my childhood home and then moved again into a new apartment. My family and friends did not hesitate to clear time into their schedule to help me. Everyone knows moving is not fun, so for them to go out of their way to help me made me feel so appreciative. Also, I have struggled mentally a lot throughout the pandemic. When I am struggling, it is easy for me to feel like a burden to people because I know I am not acting like my normal self. My family and friends always try to support me however and whenever I need them. They offer me advice, unconditional love when I don’t always deserve it, and have helped me find the help I need. Even when the world was uncertain due to the pandemic, I knew I had a great family and great friends that made me not feel so alone. 

In Conclusion

Although the last couple of years have been so hard, I think there are many takeaways and things to be thankful for. Sometimes, we all get in our routines and forget all of our blessings. If you would like to add gratitude in your own life but do not know where to start, there are a couple of things you can implement. The first thing you could do is try journaling. Journaling is a great way to pause and reflect. Whether you journal daily, weekly, or monthly, taking time out of your day to reflect on the good can help you feel more grateful. If journaling is not for you, you could also try taking a few minutes out of your day to reflect. What I like to do is to put on instrumental music and reflect on my day. This especially helps me when I get overwhelmed with school or work. I just take a couple of minutes to pause, remind myself that not everyone has the opportunities I do, think about how much I want what I am working for, and think about how great the opportunities I have are.

Isabella Mershon is a senior at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. She hopes that her drive along with her passion for leadership and advocacy will help promote success in her career and make a difference in the lives of those around her. Connect with her on LinkedIn!