Students from Active Minds, a campus organization dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, plan to begin publication of a new magazine to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

The magazine, The Mirror, will include both informative articles about how and where to seek help for illness as well as more creative pieces to show students’ struggles with mental health. The magazine is a welcome addition to campus media that will not only offer students a platform to publish their more personal writing but also will help others struggling with mental illness realize they are not alone.

Students are expected to excel at academics and constantly boost their resumes while they are immersed in a college culture that equates little-to-no sleep with a normal day-to-day routine and extreme stress with academic success. Students should realize that their mental well-being is a critical aspect of their overall success, and admitting to personal or academic flaws is a sign of strength rather than weakness.

Flawlessness is not a healthy or reasonable goal, and students should not be expected to strive for perfection. Without accepting that they have both physical and mental limits, students will be unable to realize their full potential as individuals and members of society. College should not just be a time to build the professional skills necessary to succeed in the job market or learn the theories behind real-life practice. College should be an opportunity for students to take the time to figure out what matters to them rather than rush around handing in assignments and attending student club meetings for good grades and leadership experience on a resume.

By providing an outlet for students to express their challenges with mental health and their own personal well-being, Active Minds will foster important dialogue on campus and help students realize a well-rounded education should mean a commitment to mental health.