As students are facing a multitude of challenges with the pandemic and virtual learning, battling mental health is one of the most prominent. Newly elected Sophomore president Demetrius Daniel has promised to make mental health a priority, even in the most unconventional circumstances.

As the second semester slowly approaches, Daniel has brought some new ideas to the student government table, such as starting a Chamblee mental health Instagram account to help provide support for students struggling with this issue. 

“When I was running for sophomore president I was asking people what they wanted to see improved at Chamblee, a lot of people were saying mental health, so I thought about what I could do to improve this while we’re in actual school,” said Daniel. “Since we’re not in a physical school, I made an Instagram account to post daily messages and positive tips.” 

Despite his campaign surrounding mental health, Daniel himself does not have the firsthand experiences.

“I had a little bit of difficulty in making this account because I don’t really understand what it’s like. But I do have a lot of friends with these certain conditions, and I see some of the stuff they go through. I know I don’t have that particular connection to them, so it’s difficult to be comforting, but I try my best,” said Daniel.

In addition to the Instagram account, Daniel also plans to create online support groups over Zoom to allow students to connect in a safe place. 

“I’ve been thinking about doing support groups […], this could connect many students who are going through similar experiences,” said Daniel. 

Not only would these support groups connect students, but they would also remind them that what they’re feeling is normal and doesn’t make them an outcast.

“A lot of people, especially American teenagers nowadays, feel like they’re alone or that they’re crazy or they’re being extra, so I really think support groups can remind people that they are not crazy or weird for what they’re going through,” said Daniel.

Furthermore, Daniel believes it’s essential that counselors are aware of his plans, as it would be helpful for them to obtain new perspectives for the future.

“I would love to talk to the counselors at Chamblee and give them an insider’s perspective that they might not already have,” said Daniel.

Lastly, when asked about his propositions for when we go back to school, Daniel explained that he would most likely try the same strategies, just in person via a mental health club.

“Connecting with counselors would be much easier,” said Daniel. “Maybe we could even get some students with extra free time to be like [psuedo-] counselors, it could be useful if someone just needs someone else to listen to them or give them tips.” 

Daniel hopes that the connections between his friends and followers will allow people to discover their coping mechanisms.

“For the Instagram account, I ask some of my friends to tell me what works for them, and hopefully, it’ll work for someone else,” said Daniel.