Talking about mental health and suicide can feel stiff and awkward, but a new campus organization is reframing the conversation.
The Fight Against Suicide focuses on taking action rather than just creating awareness.
Founded at the University of Georgia, the organization has chapters on eight different college campuses; TCU is the newest addition.
One of the ways the organization engages students in the conversation around mental health is through their Wellness Week. It will take place from March 2-6, ending with their main event: a sanctioned amateur boxing fundraiser.
According to their website, “This series of events, led by student volunteers, brings together music, fitness, speakers and community activation to create a culture that prioritizes mental fitness over mental illness.”
An announcer yells in the ring at one of the boxing fundraisers. (Photo courtesy of @tfas.tcu)
Activities during the week will include QPR training and an hour-long emergency suicide response training. Events like these will help teach people how to recognize the signs of suicide and how to get help for others.
All events will be free apart from the boxing fundraiser on March 6.
The sanctioned amateur boxing event combines physical activity with a lively social setting to get students talking about mental health.
“We make it a fun, social event, but at the same time, there is still this huge focus around suicide,” Sophia Collins, a junior speech language pathology major, said. “We make it to where it’s normalized to talk about it.”
Eighteen male students will be participating in the boxing fundraiser. Each participant has committed to three hours of training per week for the five weeks leading up to the event.
“Having the guys train is good for not only their physical health, but also mental health,” Collins said.
The event takes place at Panther Island Pavilion, roughly 3.5 miles from campus. Tickets can be purchased through a link on The Fight Against Suicide’s website.
Florida State University prepares for its boxing fundraiser. (Photo courtesy of @tfasfsu)
Collins helped bring this organization to TCU after her older sister worked to start it at the University of Alabama. When visiting her sister at one of their events, she said she fell in love with the organization and the environment it created.
Collins partnered with David Maxwell, a senior finance major, to establish the organization on campus, where they have built a substantial team of student fundraisers.
Collins said that The Fight Against Suicide is different from other mental health organizations because of their ability to make events fun and active.
“I think it’s really hard for people to sit and listen to these speakers that are coming to schools,” she said.
To get involved or learn more about upcoming events, students can visit the organization’s website or use the links in their Instagram bio.
“It isn’t just another event,” Langley Anne Faulkner, a junior fashion merchandising major on the fundraising team, said. “It’s a movement to make mental health conversations normal and supported on our campus. Creating this type of culture can truly save lives.”