Care Package Annotated Bibliography
The person I have dedicated this care package to is my brother, Andrew, because he is in a situation that I was in not too long ago and didn’t handle well. I am doing this for Andrew because while he is my sibling, he is also my best friend. Right now, he is attending university in Kelowna, which means that we haven’t seen each other since Thanksgiving. It will be another few weeks before I get to see him at the conclusion of the exam season. My package will serve to address the emotions of feeling alone, with the specific topic of overcoming the loneliness that can occur while living and studying away from home. It is my greatest hope what is shared in this package will help him overcome his social anxiety and inspire him to meet new people, or even make new friends. Ultimately, my goal is to try not to let him make the same mistakes I did when I went away for post-secondary school, and to teach him that although his family is 390 kilometres away, he is going to be okay.
1.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15091865
In her article titled “Loneliness at Universities: Determinants of Emotional and Social Loneliness among Students,” Katharina Diehl touches on the contrasting types and amounts of loneliness that university students in particular may experience (2018). This article provides evidence that loneliness in adolescents was a topic of equal importance to that of loneliness in the elderly population, which may come as a shock to some. This is largely due to the fact that students are more prone to experience a different type of loneliness called emotional loneliness, which focuses on the quality of one’s relationships rather than the quantity (2018). According to Diehl, a quantity-focused social loneliness could be ameliorated by engaging in physical activity or spending time with friends (2018). If loneliness as a whole persists long enough, it can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety (2018). I have chosen this article in my care package because I wish to make my brother aware that loneliness can still occur even if he is surrounded by friends, but not to worry because I have supplied strategies to help deal with these sentiments throughout my care package.
2.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/university-loneliness-back-to-school-1.3753653.
Teghan Beaudette’s article titled “Nearly 70% of university students battle loneliness during school year, survey says” explores a similar topic, illustrating the point that students can experience extreme feelings of loneliness and isolation during their time away from home (Beaudette, 2016). The article suggests methods in which one can combat these feelings, such as “joining student groups, or reaching out to councillors or student mentors” (2016). This article is included in my care package because it highlights key resources that he can turn to if he ever finds himself in a time of need.
3.
https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/sometimes-i-get-lonely
The poem titled “Sometimes I Get Lonely” by Emily B expresses that it is easy to get lost in social media searching for virtual, almost artificial forms of connection — so much so that we often forget to seek more meaningful means of communication in the world that we are presently experiencing around us. The poem also mentions the need to think of the “right here, right now” (2015, line 9), rather than “someday, one day” (2015, line 8), which is a reminder that I think every university student needs. At this stage in our lives, it is all too easy to get wrapped up in the what ifs and stop enjoying the present moment. While my brother begins his journey through university, I fear that the unknowns of the future might cloud his thoughts, as they have done so with mine at times. This poem can help him keep his mind set on what he can control and do at a momentary level, rather than worry about what may or may not happen in the days, months, or years to come.
4.
Her is a film directed by Spike Jonze that follows Joaquin Pheonix’s character, Theodore, in a dystopian metropolis. Theodore is a middle-aged man who has recently undergone a divorce, which leads him towards a plummeting path of loneliness as he yearns for connection with the woman who no longer loves him. In an act of desperation, Theodore purchases an Artificial Intelligence companion to interact with throughout his daily life and cure his loneliness; however, by the end of the film Theodore is forced to realize the virtue of true human connection and is able to restore joy and purpose to his life. I hope that by viewing this film, my brother will learn conducive strategies for combating feelings of loneliness, as well as the virtue of finding and maintaining connections.
5.
The song that I have chosen to include in this care package is the classic soul hit “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers. Withers sings a song of comfort and trust, offering himself as “somebody to lean on.” This illustrates the value of friendship and how we can look to others for both emotional and physical support. The mood of the song is uplifting, and allows the listener that it is okay to ask others for help in times of struggle, which is the exact message that I am trying to provide for my brother.
6.
My final object for Andrew will be his guitar, which has been sitting at home, untouched, in his absence. The guitar was gifted by a combined effort from three of his closest friends (including myself), making it his most memorable and favourite gift he has ever received. I hope that by providing him with this guitar, he will be able to remember the care and thought that was put into it by those closest to him. Although we aren’t there in person, perhaps sending that guitar could bring a piece of ourselves to Kelowna for him to cherish and enjoy.