#RealTalk is part of an ongoing column for the WiB blog in conjunction with our discussion sessions in real life where we take a look at different topics in hopes of shining a light on prevalent issues in marginalized communities.
This month we partnered up with paUST to host another session of #RealTalk (which remains online - for now!) to tackle a challenging and ever-important issue amongst UST students. Failure isn't something that's always portrayed in a positive light. To fail is to lose, and for many of us, the connotation and social expectations linked to failure can lead to anxiety and stress.
So why talk about failure? We wanted to change the narrative around not succeeding at everything you do. Especially for students, where a less-than-satisfactory grade or a poor performance at an interview can consume your mind and spin you down a spiral of self-doubt. Without further ado, read on to learn more about paUST's objectives and a recap of our #RealTalk session!
About paUST
paUST is a student-led initiative that focuses on mental health. Their objective is to create a safe space for HKUST students to PAUSE and remember their worth, amid the tough competition and success-first mentality at UST. Started by Angelica Intan (Year 4), Gaby (Year 3), Jaden (Year 2), and Rainbow (Year 2). The initiative was prompted by the unfortunate cases of suicide in UST that occurred during Angelica's time at UST.
"UST needed a society that accepts people for who they are and helps them, instead of pushing people to achieve more." Said Angelica.
Recap of the workshop
After a sharing session from Angelica, attendees were sent to breakout rooms to share their own failures and celebrate them instead. Below is a word cloud where attendees used one word to describe their experience after sharing.
Have something you want to get off your mind? paUST has created a Safe Space form to remind students that they are not alone: bit.ly/SafeSpaceForm
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