(Chelsea Update would like to thank Kate Yocum for the information in this story.)
This year, SRSLY Chelsea is getting a head start on Mental Health May.
For the month of April, the Coalition is inviting community members to interactively participate in their latest campaign: “Just Wait.”
What is its purpose? Optimism. Wisdom Sharing. Resilience. Connection. Hope for the future.
So what exactly is this campaign?
Teenagers are often told, “Oh you think it’s bad now? Just wait until you have to pay your own bills.” Excited and nervous pregnant moms are met with warnings of, “Just wait until you’re not sleeping.” Aging adults are told, “Just wait until you can’t do the things you love anymore.” Newly married couples experiencing joy are told, “Just wait until the honeymoon phase is over.”
The list goes on, but what about the positives?
SRSLY Chelsea’s Student Leadership Team created the concept of this campaign after frequently encountering this negativity around the future.
“I’d be worried about the ACT, or a college application, or a falling out with friends, and sometimes adults in my life would respond with how much worse it was going to get, that I should be relieved and grateful for being a kid still,” said a CHS sophomore. “That type of response communicates to us that what we’re going through doesn’t matter, but also that there isn’t anything to look forward to.”
So the students developed a solution: what if adults had the opportunity to share the good things? What if each generation had the chance to share their light at the end of the tunnel to get someone through a tough time and instill hope for everything to come? What would you tell your younger self if you could? What would you tell your own child, student, athlete, friend or spouse?
SRSLY is giving you that chance, and we hope you’ll spread the word with family, friends, coworkers and other networks as well. \Your positive “just wait…” quote will be compiled and used to build an intergenerational community project that will be released in segments through multimedia throughout Mental Health May.
“We’re looking for quotes that represent every lived experience. We hope you participate because what you have to say matters and could really help someone,” said Marie Larson, SRSLY Volunteer and Chelsea Schools Mental Health Coordinator.
Additionally, Courtney Aldrich, SRSLY Volunteer assures participants, said, “Don’t overthink it. It can be silly and simple, it can be deep and profound, whatever you choose is impactful.”
To share hope, add your “just wait” quote now by visiting the SRSLY Google form.
To be included in the campaign, please submit your quote by May 1st. Provided examples include, but are not limited to:
“Just wait until you earn your first paycheck.”
“Just wait until you make your puppy’s tail wag for the first time.”
“Just wait until the struggle was worth it.”
To view the campaign’s launch, follow SRSLY on Instagram and Facebook. To learn more about the work SRSLY is doing for mental health and substance abuse prevention, visit srsly.org. To donate, please visit https://giving.stjoeshealth.org/srsly.
About SRSLY
SRSLY Chelsea’s mission is connecting as a community to support youth mental health and prevent youth substance use through action, education, and advocacy. SRSLY receives support from the Coghlan Family Foundation, Chelsea Hospital, and the Five Healthy Towns Foundation. For more information, visit www.srsly.org or follow SRSLY on Facebook and Instagram.
