College Student Mental Wellness Advocacy Coalition

The Hi, How Are You Project is proud to be the very first initiative of the newly formed College Student Mental Wellness Advocacy Coalition.

For the past two years, we’ve conducted a College Student Fall Mental Wellness Survey to better understand the student experience, as to create special peer-to-peer training programs that have become guiding tenets for American Campus Communities’ Residence Life program, which offers events and information regarding health and wellness. Now, our organization and Coalition members will work with renowned global insights firm, Ipsos, to expand and amplify the survey into an annual Thriving Student Index. With accurate and actionable data in hand, we will help co-create industry wide peer-to-peer on-site training programs, connect residents to campus resources for mental health and wellness, and promote ways to manage stress and anxiety in college.

We want student housing managers across the country to join the cause to administer the survey to their residents. This will gather the largest most credible data set on this topic and serve as an invaluable benchmark to measure impact and inform initiatives over the long term.

Find out more about the College Student Mental Wellness Advocacy Coalition and it’s amazing group of member organizations HERE.

The Hi, How Are You? Podcast Features Conversations Around Mental Health

(September 29, 2022) The Hi, How Are You? Podcast is finally here! in conjunction with The Drag Audio Production House of the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin, we are proud to present Season 1 of the Hi, How Are You? Podcast. Recorded on site and live at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, student hosts Marissa Greene and Anahi Chavero have open and honest conversations around mental health with many of the festival artists; together they share stories about their creative processes, explore the healing power of art and music, and more. Professional clinical advisors provided by the American Psychological Association and Texas Psychological Association, along with Hi, How Are You Project Board of Directors member Dr. Sonia Krishna, partnered with us post festival to contribute additional commentary and valuable insight.

Episode 1 (Adrian Quesada) and Episode 2 (Surfaces & Bob’s Dance Shop) are available NOW! Future episodes, released on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the middle of October, feature the likes of singer, songwriter and guitarist Charley Crockett, rapper/singer Toosii, Latin Grammy nominee Gina Chavez, Canadian rockers Mother Mother, TikTok sensation Jessie Murph, bedroom indie pop dreamer Dayglow, and many others.

All episodes will also be available via Spotify. Podcast art by Iván Mayorquín.

College Student Fall 2021 Mental Wellness Survey

(October 28, 2021) In collaboration with the fine folks at American Campus Communities, we have released the findings from our College Student Fall 2021 Mental Wellness Survey which was fielded in September. The survey is the largest of its kind specifically targeting all levels of college-aged students across the US, from incoming freshman to graduate students. Learn more HERE or download the FULL REPORT.

“While stigma around mental health is still very real, the report reveals that it is starting to decrease, and with increased awareness and support, we have seen that more students are comfortable with sharing and openly communicating about their troubles,” said Dr. Sonia Krishna, a board certified physician specializing in Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry and Hi, How Are You Project board member. “This is certainly great news since college years are a high risk and critical time when help and resources should be readily available to make an impact.”

From Daniel Johnston’s Don’t Be Scared, 1982

Listen up and I’ll tell a story
About an artist growing old
Some would try for fame and glory
Others aren’t so bold

Everyone, and friends and family
Saying, “Hey! Get a job!”
“Why do you only do that only?
Why are you so odd?
We don’t really like what you do.
We don’t think anyone ever will.
It’s a problem that you have,
And this problem’s made you ill.”

Listen up and I’ll tell a story
About an artist growing old
Some would try for fame and glory
Others aren’t so bold

The artist walks alone
Someone says behind his back,
“He’s got his gall to call himself that!
He doesn’t even know where he’s at!”
The artist walks among the flowers
Appreciating the sun
He does this all his waking hours
But is it really so wrong?

They sit in front of their TV
Saying, “Hey! This is fun!”
And they laugh at the artist
Saying, “He doesn’t know how to have fun.”
The best things in life are truly free
Singing birds and laughing bees
“You’ve got me wrong”, says he.
“The sun don’t shine in your TV”