Ladies and gentlemen, good morning/evening!

Avid users of social media may know that

there is a challenge going around called the #I’mSadChallenge. If you don’t know what this is, it
is when one user might post a status saying “I’m sad” and tag their favorite establishment like a
milk tea shop, some even tagging a bank. As a result, some lucky ones receive free items from
these establishments. Simply: one person says they are sad, invites someone to do something
about it, and an action plan is created and carried out.

Why might these people be sad? They might be upset over their personal relationships or
stress from work or school. Can’t relate? What may be some other things we are #I’mSad about?
Uncertainty brought about by the pandemic, climate change, mental health, to name a few.
Relationship problems and jokes aside, these are things that affect everyone, to the point that
these matters are life and death. How can we, as NORSUnians, be instruments of peace to these
situations and start societal change? 
If we can take the time to express our sadness about a few personal matters, how great
would it be if we could also express our sadness about serious issues and current events?

According to PR News Wire, 51% of the youth feel like they have an individual
responsibility to solve social issues. As students of one of the biggest universities in our
province, we must also think big. Besides our personal problems, we must also say #I’mSad
about the pandemic. Or for me, #I’mSad that Ligtas Na Balik Eskwela seems far away. Next,
let’s do something about it. It’s not a game of luck like the Facebook #I’mSadChallenge, because
we can all do something by getting vaccinated, following COVID protocol, and avoid sharing
fake news. These things may seem small, but they are a challenge to every NORSUnian, a
challenge to act.

It’s up to us to act now. We the youth, can be instruments of peace and change makers.  It
may start small, but if all of us accept the challenge, we can have a future where more of us,
online and offline, are healthy, accepted, safe, and less of us are #I’mSad.