Students share the best mental health advice they’ve received
We asked students to share the best advice a friend, mentor, ally, or loved one had given them about mental health. Here’s what they shared!
Thank you to Sara, Diya, Treston, Zainab, Teo, and Athisha for sharing!
Prioritizing health: sleep, play, and eating well
My mom and dad told me sleep is important to get energy and feel less tired and more relaxed. Sports are also good for exercise because you get to run around and feel good. It is also important because you get to play with friends, so you don’t feel lonely. You can also play with them, talk to them, and hang out with them. Another thing they told me is that eating healthy is good because you get energy, so you grow stronger and taller.
— Treston, Grade 3
Facing fear: my black belt journey
I paced before the closed door, my Karate uniform drenched in sweat. Sensing the fear, my Sensei laid a hand on my shoulder. “നമുക്ക് പേടിയുള്ള കാര്യങ്ങൾ കൂടുതൽ ചെയ്താലേ ധൈര്യം ഉണ്ടാകൂ.” Do what you fear the most; only then will you be courageous. I nodded nervously, drained from hours of waiting to be called in by the Board of Directors to determine if my skills were worthy enough to receive Black Belt. I gulped as my name rang out over the PA system. The next 45 minutes were a blur. I kicked, punched, and shouted “kiai,” trusting in everything I learned for the past six years; above all, myself. Walking out of the room, I didn’t know whether I’d passed or failed.
Three years later, an instructor and First Dan Karate Black Belt, I share the same lesson with my students: “നമുക്ക് പേടിയുള്ള കാര്യങ്ങൾ കൂടുതൽ ചെയ്യണം. എങ്കിലേ ധൈര്യം ഉണ്ടാകൂ…” Do what you fear the most; only then will you be courageous.
— Diya, Grade 10
Redefining success: more than a report card
Have you ever felt like the number on a test defines who you are? That was me – always feeling my worth was stamped on a grade. Then, my mentor shared something that changed everything: I’m more than a report card. True value comes from resilience, kindness, and passion. Grades might open doors, but they don’t define the person walking through. From that day on, I focused less on perfection and more on learning and growth. Embracing my mistakes fueled my journey and made me feel stronger. Now, when school feels overwhelming, I remember her words. My worth is so much bigger than any grade I could receive. True success? It’s about growth, heart, showing up for each other, and reminding ourselves we are enough, no matter what.
— Sara, Grade 11
Accepting mistakes: embracing growth and change
The best advice a friend gave me was about how we all viewed our mistakes as irredeemable. We think to ourselves, “How could I have done such a thing?” But it was only the mistake that they looked at, and not the good deeds that we’ve done. It’s as if our mistakes overwrite who we are, branding us as a bad person even though we might be the kindest and have learnt to grow and change. It’s easy to let a mistake define us, especially when we and our friends are quick to judge so heavily, but it doesn’t erase the goodness we’ve done. It’s important to recognize that everyone makes mistakes on their journey of life, and that these experiences lead us to change and grow, which makes us human.
— Zainab, Grade 11
Taking care: finding what works for your mental health
The best advice I have ever received about mental health came in two parts. The first part was that mental health is very similar to physical health, in the way that both take time and effort to maintain. Just as you must meet your physical needs (e.g., food, water, shelter) to have good physical health, your emotional and intellectual needs (e.g., love, support, trust) must be met to have good mental health. The second part of this advice was that you are the person that best knows how to care for your mental health. As you grow up, you learn what you like and dislike, and you also learn what coping mechanisms do and don’t work for you. The best way to maintain good mental health is to learn and apply the strategies that work best for you.
— Teo, Grade 11
Embracing emotions: acknowledging and navigating feelings without judgment
The most important and best pieces of advice I’ve ever received came from a mentor who said, “Acknowledge your feelings without judgment.” This has always stuck with me, because for so long, I’d push my emotions away because I’m afraid of what they might mean. I thought that if I didn’t face them head-on, that they’d somehow go away. This helped me realize that emotions aren’t facts – they do not define me. Learning to acknowledge my feelings without rushing to judge them has been such a vital part of my life now. It allows me to stop ignoring my emotions, even when they are uncomfortable. This shift in my mindset shows me that mental health is a process; it doesn’t just happen overnight, and it doesn’t always have a clear-cut ending.
— Athisha, Grade 11