Conversations about Mental Health: College Students Reflect on What They Wish Their Parents Knew When They Were in High School
With mental health a top of mind conversation, it presents an opportunity to connect the dots in a way we often don’t but others intuit: how Curious Cardinals mentors can support students with mental health. We are not prescribed therapists and there are boundaries to this support.
But, our mentors were in their students’ shoes recently and get the struggle they’re going through. Much of the pressure students face today triggers their mental health:
Academic pressure: The pressure to excel academically and achieve high grades can cause stress and anxiety, especially as the competition to get into top colleges has become more intense in recent years.
Social pressure: Adolescents are also under pressure to fit in with their peers and maintain social status, which can lead to feelings of loneliness, social anxiety, and depression.
Family pressure: Family expectations, parental pressure, and family conflicts can also contribute to stress and anxiety.
Technology pressure: The pressure to constantly be connected and present on social media can also cause stress and anxiety, as students feel pressure to constantly perform and present themselves in a certain way online.
Future pressure: The pressure to plan for the future and make decisions about college, career, and life goals can also be overwhelming for many students.
Society lacks opportunities for young people to explore their passions and interests. Mentors can help connect young people find their spark and cultivate their most authentic selves by giving them a glimpse for who they can be.
So, rather than proclaim to be experts in this specifically, we want to host a panel where we leverage the collective knowledge of our mentors to share advice to parents on how to help their kids navigate mental health!
Workshop format:
introduce Curious Cardinals + mentors on panel [5 mins]
Jackson Richter (Stanford '23)
Maelle Tanoh (Yale '26)
Morgan Moreno (Stanford '25)
Q&A with questions on how parents can best support their kids to navigate mental health moderated by Audrey [35 mins]
Open it up to questions [20 mins]