Note from The Editor

According to Mayo Clinic, a nationally recognized medical research center, seasonal depression is often influenced by limited exposure to sunlight in the fall and winter. Afterall, it’s hard to feel happy when your surroundings are consistently gray and cold.

So, now that spring is here you may find yourself hearing more about ways to improve your mental health(the seasons do truly affect how we view our lives!).

But what frustrates me is that most of the suggestions on ways to improve your mental health make it seem as if you need to change your entire life. The message seems to be "Now that spring is here, get out of bed and make your life perfect!"

This is projecting the idea that in order to be healthy and happy you need to have a perfect life, one where you get up at 5 a.m. to run or one where you eliminate junk food from your diet.

If running is your forte, go for it! But if your way to decompress is listening to music by yourself, don’t feel bad that you didn’t run a mile.

This issue, we have a variety of stories that encapsulate this message. On pg. 7 we cover a proposed mental health bill in Indiana. The bill, if passed, creates more ways to find support during a mental health crisis. We also spotlight two groups of students who we see working hard at something that makes them happy, basketball players (pg. 10) and Zionsville Show Choir members (pg. 12). On a lighter note, on pg. 14 fun ‘staycation’ spots are highlighted so that students don’t fall into a spring break slump if they aren't able to travel.

So again, don’t feel pressure to live a picturesque life, but do find something that makes you happy each day. With less pressure to be perfect weighing you down, at least in my opinion, life gets a little bit easier. And that’s the best way to improve your mental health.