If you’ve been on social media recently, you’ve probably heard about University of Southern Carolina’s #SpeakYourMind challenge; maybe, you’ve even watched a few friends participate. Yet the now-viral ice bucket challenge has a lot more backstory beneath its icy exterior.
In March, the USC’s Mental Illness Needs Discussion club launched its Speak Your Mind Challenge, which has recently gone viral on social media with the goal of promoting mental health awareness. The challenge started on March 31, when the MIND club first posted an Instagram Reel, igniting the challenge that quickly spread across the world. Soon after, the challenge reached Palo Alto. Palo Alto High School freshman Emily Chan, nominated by her classmates, said the challenge took off quickly as her peers began nominating one another.
To partake in the activity, participants pour a bucket of iced water on their head and nominate three other people to complete the challenge within twenty-four hours. USC’s challenge is not the first time that an ice bucket challenge has gone viral, though: It follows the 2014 ice bucket challenge, which raised over $115 million for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis research. Now, USC’s MIND club is repurposing that same idea to spotlight mental health awareness — so far, the challenge has raised around $300,000 for Active Minds, according to USA Today.
“[The challenge] contributed to spreading more awareness because it’s like a chain, and it’s discussing mental health, which is very important in this day and age,” Chan said.
Part of the challenge’s appeal is that anyone can participate and that each nomination encourages continued engagement, Chan said. As videos circulate on social media, the challenge has shined countless lights to raise awareness.
Another determinant of the challenge’s swift rise to fame, Palo Alto High junior Emily Stell said, is its ability to connect people of different identities all across the country.
“It was fun to be a part of the culture of doing a challenge,” Stell said. “Being a part of this challenge brings unity across many schools and a sense of community.”
While the challenge itself is voluntary, it’s easy for peer pressure to be a driving factor in someone’s decision to participate, said Gunn High School junior Grace Sun.
“I only did it because my friend asked me to do it,” she said.
Along with a tendency to succumb to peer pressure in this challenge, Gunn High senior Yoonseo Lee noticed that many times, participants of the challenge were unaware of its purpose or origins. For instance, Lee said she noticed that participants may not notice the true intentions of raising awareness on mental health and donating towards the fundraiser.
“Originally, a lot of people were supposed to link the donation page, but I’ve seen a lot less people linking it now,” Sun said. “So, I don’t think many people know why [they’re doing it]. People are just doing it for the sake of doing it.”
On the other hand, Palo Alto High junior Arabella Guinle said that while the challenge is centered on spreading awareness, it’s more than just a trend. She sees the challenge as a reminder that, sometimes, a simple act can bring people together and spread positivity.
“Spreading awareness and showing that people are there for you … is really important,” Guinle said. “The one thing that this challenge does really well is it’s a fun thing to do to just put a smile on people’s faces and just have something lighthearted.”
