The person I chose for this care package is my grade 10 – 12 self. My past self was a lot happier until all the negative aspects of my life came in grade 9. Basically those years were very hard on my emotional and mental health. I went through a multiple things from losing friends, bullying, stress and eventually mild depression. I was motivated to make this care package for my past self because I had very little help when it came to getting through these challenging years. Conversations with people, like counselors and friends, were unfortunately not helpful so the objects would be a way to let my feelings out. My choice matters because the outcome from all of the situations could’ve been much more positive if I had support that didn’t only consist of blank stares and having people that only listen to problems and let you cry in front of them in silence. It also could have an impact on others since they could find temporary joy in small forms that could potentially get them through any hard ships. If someone handed me some of these things two years ago when I really needed some of these things, I don’t think I would’ve been so upset with myself or mad at anything in general. I hope my former self would learn that I wasn’t alone in the situations I was put through, as well as that resilience is key. It may be very cliché but keeping my head up and fighting through the challenges thrown at me was important. Also that it was okay for me to cry and that not everything was my fault.
The academic article is about a study that was done on Year 12 students in Australia. From the students that came back a year later the students took a survey which showed high levels of depression, stress, and anxiety. This was even high with students with “lower family, peer and school connectedness” (#). The results suggest that there are many Year 12 students at risk and they continued to maintain high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. This contributes to the care package because it shows that I wasn’t the only one going through things. I wasn’t alone in dealing with many things, and although this is bad, I’d find some comfort in knowing I’m not alone. As for the effect, I think it would get my past self to understand that once again I wasn’t the only one going through tough times.
This article from Teen Vogue talks about how stress affects everyone eventually, and it also talks about how “people who are a part of Gen Z (ages 15 – 21) reported the worst mental health of all generations” (Belle). It tells you the types of stress, how to identify it, and how to cope with it as well. As the busy student I was, I got stressed extremely fast and very easily, so this would’ve been super helpful. If I had known what was causing my stress when it wasn’t school related and how to deal with it in a productive manner then senior year would’ve been much more fun. If I was able to relieve some stress or cut out things or people that caused major stress before it became a real problem then this would affect me greatly.
Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately is a collection of poems, that’s dedicated to those that have dealt with addiction. The book is split into two parts, “Side A” and “Side B”. “Side A is about the aspects of human condition while “Side B” contains versions that have words circled and crossed out to create a new message. Although the book of poems is about addiction, some of the poems are more widely relatable. There are many poems in the book that, again, remind people that you’re not the only one that has felt like they were a burden. The book also has moments of reassurance “you are holding yourself together just fine / you will be okay” (143) and times where there are cries for help “save me from drowning in my own tears” (125). I hope this effects my mood. If this could make me relax and distract me from the issues I was going through then this would truly be a gift. This would also be motivational since it also has things like “tears and pain will turn you into a warrior” (210).
Dear Evan Hansen is about a high school student with severe social anxiety and depression that gets caught in a lie after another student, Connor, commits suicide. The lie spirals out of control but helps him create relationships with friends and the other students family, while also making him feel like he’s no longer invisible. The musical revolves around suicide and has started conversations about how “You are not alone” from the song “You Will Be Found” or how “You still matter” even when you feel invisible from the song “Disappear.” This contributes to the care package because they’re always repeating that you matter, that you’re not alone and I really needed that in those years. The message of the musical could affect me pushing me further away from the thought of disappearing from life. Being caught up in thinking about how I just wanted to disappear and that I no longer wanted to deal with everything that was being thrown at me was a lot to deal with and this musical could’ve potentially had me thinking in a much more positive light. Also, Evan is very relatable. He always felt the need to please people and he had severe social anxiety, I also have the intense need to please people but not the severe social anxiety although I am very socially awkward. Despite the not so positive ending in the musical, the entire musical almost entirely revolves around the idea that you’re not alone, no one deserves to be forgotten, you’re worth remembering, is really important.
“You Will Be Found” from the musical Dear Evan Hansen starts with Evan speaking at Connor’s memorial service, and are about how even though you feel as if you are alone, you’re not. It takes Evan’s pain and cries for help and transforms them into hope for others. The song can make you feel hopeful. The song can also make you cry if you’re sad enough. The entire song is filled with lyrics that have so much reassurance in it and the harmonies also are so beautiful. When people have duets or the vocals over lap, it makes certain lines stick out. The beginning of the song starts relatively soft then proceeds to get louder. “You will be found” and “You are not alone” are constantly repeated. These lines are highly reassuring, extremely positive and memorable. There have been many times in those years, mostly grade 12, where I’ve felt alone and that no one cared and this song would’ve been a good reminder that I wasn’t. I hope this song would change my negative thoughts into hopeful ones.
The show would impact my past self because it serves as a small escape from the outside world. Since grade 10 I was always looking for distractions. These shows would’ve been perfect because aside from serving as a distraction, it’s also great since I get to see not only one, but twelve people I love and look up to. The effects would also be a permanent feeling. I’d be forever grateful and it would be something that will stick with me forever. It’d be an even bigger bonus because I’d be able to thank them for making my life a bit better in the most draining parts of my life. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in particular have made extreme impacts in my life. They’re extremely humble, hard working, and resilient. They both have gone through difficult times, which are very different from mine, but have both been the reason for me to truly believe that resilience is key. They’ve had a huge impact on the way I act and they’re also the reason I really value resilience. For the sake of being specific and a bit demanding, the seats for the show would be in three possible spots of the arena. Close to the ice, on ice, or seats by the tunnel. That’s only important because I love having good seats and don’t want to have to wear glasses. As for the meet and greet passes for these two shows are, again, affect younger me because I’ve always wanted to thank the people I look up to a lot and are a source of happiness.