Mental Health Matters is something I've been thinking about for a while. Mental health is almost a taboo, like if you said you needed a therapist, people assumed something was seriously wrong with you. We were taught to bottle things up and "be tough." In secondary school, I didn't feel like I could talk to anyone about how I felt. I had convinced myself that I was overthinking and that my emotions didn't matter. As I got older, I started noticing how that silence had shown up in other parts of my life, specifically my relationships and the way I saw myself. Out of a need to understand, I started researching mental health. Learning about it has helped me offer grace to myself and to others. I've realized how powerful it into feel heard, validated and safe. Now, I want to create that safe space for others—starting on campus. I hope to host small group conversations, peer support sessions, and creative workshops where students can express themselves and feel less alone. The goal is to make mental wellness an everyday conversation, not just a response to crisis. Because I know how much it matters, and I believe everyone deserves that.