Suicide.

Happy suicide prevention week. Sounds like an oxymoron? Obviously.

But, somehow this year, we haven't heard that much about the cause. 

The Instagram stories reminding you to look out for your friends and the pep rally in which we play volleyball to raise money have disappeared. 

Nowadays, scarily enough, the word "suicide" can be heard almost every day. Whether it be hearing teenagers scream "I want to die" over bad test grades, or the same kids dying their hair over mental breakdowns at 2 am, the so-called ignorant Gen Z culture has a dark side.

The mental health epidemic is often invisible to the public eye, but when you look deeper into the depths of twitter or somehow get a peek into the world of "finstas", or even worse "sinstas", all becomes clear. 

Over 20% of the nation has some form of depression by the time they become an adult: a staggering statistic.

David Foster Wallace somehow has the ability to put these statistics into feelings of being "dead, unconscious, a slave to your head and to your natural default setting of being uniquely, completely, imperially alone." 

The essay, “This is Water” is beautifully eloquent on how so much of the world feels, showing that despite the world being unchanging, the one thing you have control over is yourself.

To bring it full circle, this feeling of “alone” is even more present with Generation Z. 

Despite the power of social media providing an outlet for many to pour out these feelings, oftentimes the only response you’ll get is the oh-so disappointing “same”. In reality, when those same words come out of your mouth and not online, the response is overwhelming and the risk of ‘exposing yourself’ too high. 

Now, I know you guys are all waiting for the uplifting moral to these distressing facts, but that time will never come. 

Instead, I’ll take this time to remind those of you who find this post relatable that you DO have a place in this world, but it might take you time to find it, and that you DO have people who love you, though you might not be able to see them. 

And for every one of you who don’t find this relatable?

 There’s one of you who does. So check on your friends, tell them you love them, and hopefully, we’ll all find the light at the end of the tunnel. Together.