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thebvnewspaper.com
Counselor tackles
depression stigma
By Melanie Gerber
Counselor Columnist
I s it okay to be sad? Have you
ever experienced the emotion
of sadness? It seems unlikely that you
haven’t; however, sadness tends to get
a bad rap. Sometimes, we struggle with
the idea of sadness and how, at times,
uncomfortable this emotion can be.
The emotion of sadness may look
different for different people, and ev-
eryone manages emotions in a personal
way. Sadness is appropriate in situations
of loss, disappointment, change, etc...
and may linger for some time. Some
days may be better than others, but feel-
ing sad isn’t necessarily a “bad” thing.
We can learn from our life experi-
ences and accept what has happened
or not happened. Sadness may help us
to explore our values in life, and it may
promote personal growth and develop-
ment. It may help us to gain insight into
our own behaviors and why we respond
the way we do or why we make the choic-
es that we have made. Sadness can be a
motivator for change and often times
tearfulness, which can be a healthy part sary to seek out professional help from past fall when, in the same semester,
of the grief and loss process.
In these times, it is healthy to al- and/or psychiatrist. The good news was threatened by fire in South-
low yourself to experience this emo-
tion - or any emotion - and allow the
grieving process to develop.
At times, it may be helpful to seek whether you are experiencing situation-
out support from friends and family
throughout this process. It may even
be helpful to seek out support from
a professional in an effort to process
emotions that are “too close” to explore port is a brave and courageous act.
with objectivity or if you are not com-
MENTAL ILLNESS STIGMA - Although one in four people struggle with
a mental illness, there is still a stigma surrounding speaking about it and
receiving treatment. Understanding your emotions and how you process
them can help when dealing with sadness, but seeking support from a
professional can help process those emotions, too.
New SNL members make a memorable entrance
Three newcomers play some of the most iconic roles this season
By Kiley O’Donnell
Co-Managing Editor
S aturday Night Live’s 42nd sea-
son’s ratings skyrocketed, in part
due to the material the cast was able to
use during Donald Trump’s campaign
and election. The departures, however, of
Bobby Moynihan, Vanessa Bayer and Sa-
sheer Zamata left the talent scouts of SNL
with big shoes to fill for the 43rd season.
Image courtesy of NBC
The Bona Venture / March 16, 2018
Features
BonaResponds
reflects: Part 2
fortable sharing personal information
By Jim Mahar SBU is the idea that all people mat-
with people in your support system.
Professor Columnist ter, that all people are worthy of love
How, then, can we distinguish be-
and respect and that we can all work
tween “normal” sadness and clinical
depression?
According to the Diagnostic and S t. Bonaventure is a very
small school. We have fewer
together to overcome great adver-
sity.
Maybe it comes from being
Statistical Manual of Mental Disor- than 2,000 students. We are a rural
small. Maybe it comes from being a
ders; Fifth Edition (DSM-V); 2013 school. Almost everyone knows ev-
perennial underdog. It might even
and the National Institute of Mental eryone else. People are involved in
be the only way we can survive or is
Health (NIH), the following are char- classes, clubs, sports and more. You
rooted in the Franciscan heritage.
acteristics of clinical depression and can’t help but know others. At how
It doesn’t matter one’s age, gen-
may require professional help: many other schools does the profes-
der, major, color or religion. You are
sor give you their cell phone number loved. It is a founding principle of
• Feeling depressed most of the day, on the first day of class?
BonaResponds and really seems in-
nearly every day When I teach an introductory
terwoven in almost all aspects of the
• Feeling hopeless or worthless class, I always start out by asking
campus. I see it every day: students
• Having low energy where is Bona’s. I wait, usually not
helping other students, faculty and
• Losing interest in activities you once very long, for someone to say “in the
staff going the extra mile, alumni
enjoyed middle of nowhere” before I rip the
willing to help in any way.
• Having problems with sleep answer apart, kindly, of course.
That said, the NCAA victory over
• Experiencing changes in your appe- The St. Bonaventure University
UCLA Tuesday night is taking it to a
tite or weight community is everywhere.
whole new level.
• Feeling sluggish or agitated Through the internet, our stu-
Scrolling through my social me-
• Having difficulty concentrating dents are now digitally everywhere,
dia feeds this past week, I saw peo-
• Having frequent thoughts of death or too. Online students are often for-
ple from around the country and the
suicide gotten, but they make up an impor-
world talking about the game, all try-
If you are experiencing these tant and growing segment of our ing to get to Dallas to see the next
symptoms, it may be helpful or neces- community. I am reminded of this game, seeking places to stay, coordi-
nating airport pickups and planning
a therapist, primary care physician I had a student whose family home meet-ups with old friends.
I am using it as a reminder of
is that depression is treatable and re- ern California and another student how we should all behave. Lend a
sponds well to therapy. whose home was being hit by a hur- helping hand, care for others and re-
Remember, in either situation, ricane in Florida. member we are all one family.
From trips around the country to Sometimes sports can lead to
ally appropriate sadness or clinical de- around the world, Enactus, BonaR- division. Sometimes we can overem-
pression, you are not alone. Support can esponds and many other groups have phasize sports to the detriment of
take many forms and may include pro- made maintained contact with people ourselves, the athletes and even so-
fessional therapy. Reaching out for sup- from every walk of life in every corner ciety itself. We can “overinvest” in
of the world. Don’t believe me? I will sports stadiums. We can use sports
make a bet that there has not been a as a distraction from the hard work
mgerber@sbu.edu
single day in years that I have not we must do to improve the lives of
heard from my friends in Haiti, Okla- billions around the world and next
homa, Mississippi, Texas, The Baha- door. But there are times when sports
mas, Liberia, Alabama and so many can remind us all of what can be.
other places. It is this power of togeth- I have no idea if SBU can win an-
erness that allows students on campus other game or not, but I will never for-
to make loans in Haiti, help fund gar- get this feeling of togetherness. This
den and school programs in several na- feeling of belonging. This feeling of
tions in Africa and so much more. being part of something big. It almost
And it’s more than just current feels like a BonaResponds trip.
students. It does not end after grad-
uation. As Mark Schmidt said a few jmahar@sbu.edu
years ago, walk in an airport with a
Bonaventure shirt on and you will be
Image courtesy of Kaiser Permanente hugged and talked to.
This alumni cohesiveness played
out recently in Texas on BonaR-
esponds’ spring break trip, where we
had almost as many alumni from the This is the seventh in a series
class of 1950 to 2017 as we did current of articles by BonaResponds
students. leader Jim Mahar, Ph.D.
These alumni are also known
for doing great things as teachers,
expert doctors, stellar journalists,
CEOs of major airlines, large money
center banks and the family busi-
ness down the block. There are so
many great successes.
Alumni regularly call campus
home. Once back on campus, they
Image courtesy of The Concordian feel like they are back where they be-
long. It is a special place, but it is
not the location that makes it special;
it is the people and the feeling of be-
longing.
The thing I am most proud of at Image courtesy of BonaResponds
Just days before the season’s pre-
miere, SNL hired comedians Heidi
Gardner, Luke Null and Chris Redd to
join the cast.
Gardner is from The Groundlings
in Los Angeles, an improvisational
sketch comedy troupe and school. She
is the voice of “Cooch” in the Crackle
series, “SuperMansion,” and she will
be sharing the screen with SNL alumna
Melissa McCarthy in an upcoming 2018
production called “Life of the Party.”
Redd, a comedian, rapper and
performer from St. Louis, Missouri,
was at Chicago’s Second City, a com-
edy club in Illinois that hosts popular
sketch shows & improv classes, before
becoming a feature player on SNL. He
appeared in the 2016 film “Popstar: Image courtesy of Hollywood Reporter
Never Stop Never Stopping,” written SNL SEASON 43 - Following the departure of three cast members, Heidi
and directed by the Lonely Island trio Gardner, Luke Null and Chris Redd joined SNL for season 43. As part of the
of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and new generation of SNL, they have gained recognition for portraying new
Jorma Taccone. He also has appeared figures in popular culture.
in small movies and Netflix comedies,
such as “Disjointed.” vision personality Ainsley Earhardt. In 1970’s hip-hop group.
Null, a 27 year old from Cincinnati, an under-the-radar parody of MTV’s re- Redd, with less experience, has
Ohio, didn’t have much experience be- ality television show “Florabama Shore,” captured SNL fans with his witty im-
fore joining the cast, causing many ques- she gives an incredible performance as personations and behind-the-scenes
tions through SNL’s loyal fanbase. His “Epcot” from Florida, a made-up charac- moments that tend to go unnoticed on-
only real experience comes from doing ter that finds her long-lost sister. air. Blake Shelton has been his most
sketch work for the iO Comedy Network, Redd has taken on impersonations notable impersonation so far.
an online comedy improv channel. of “Get Out” writer and director Jordan In the midst of the 43rd season,
These cast members immediately Peele, rappers Lil’ Wayne and Offset Gardner, Redd and Null will continue
took off, playing some of the most mem- and social rights activist Louis Farra- to gain the recognition they deserve.
orable roles thus far in the 43rd season. khan. He most notably played “This Is After all, they are the new generation
Gardner, a Kansas City, Missouri Us” star Sterling K. Brown and “Chief of SNL.
native, has gained recognition from Bronco,” alongside Chance the Rap-
her outstanding impersonation of “I, per. In his skit, Chance and Redd por-
Tonya” star Allison Janney and Fox tele- tray members of “Soul Crush Crew,” a odonneke16@bonaventure.edu