Youth Matters: It's important to mind your mental health

OVER the past few weeks, I have interviewed young people from across Cork who each had unique experiences and insights.

After all, who better to tell the stories of young people from Cork, than a young person from Cork?

To conclude this series, I spoke to another young person who is particularly interested in the power and importance of storytelling.

Eve Lonergan sat the Leaving Cert in June, having been a student of Carrigaline Educate Together Secondary School, and begins studying Journalism in NUIG this autumn. She is also a member of the Sustainable Sleepover Club, a podcast aiming to make conversations about the Sustainable Development Goals accessible.

After interviewing five young people for this series, I was intrigued to know why Eve believes young people’s voices are valuable.

To ease us in, I know Eve loves fashion so I asked her if she could tell us which three items (clothes, accessories, etc) she re-wears the most.

Eve replied passionately: “For me, fashion is such an important form of self-expression and so heavily connected to identity, so I think that’s why I tend to rewear my favourite pieces again and again and again.”

They include her Aran jumpers, which she believes are the cutest and warmest jumpers you will find, her UGG boots, which now “bear the scars of her Leaving Cert art project in the form of a bloody streak of red oil paint” and her tear-drop gold hoop earrings, both an everyday and a going-out staple.

Eve describes how she’s balancing her passion for fashion and for sustainability:

“I think my fashion sense expresses a certain consciousness of the kind of, like, state of the world I guess... I love fashion, but not its environmental impact. 

"As I’ve learnt more about climate change and the fashion industry’s role in it, I’ve started to favour more high quality, simplistic, classic pieces that will last me forever. It can be hard to find clothes like that at a reasonable price, so I’ve had to source inwards; half of my wardrobe now consists of my mom’s old jeans and skirts, and my dad’s old jumpers and shirts. The most sustainable clothes are the ones you have in your wardrobe (or your family’s wardrobes)!”

Now Eve is on the other side of the stress of the Leaving Cert, having entered 5th year during the Covid pandemic, she has advice for students about managing their mental health.

“Looking back on the past two years, it’s so clear to me now just how big of a role your mindset plays in handling school stress, and challenges in general (ie, a pandemic!)

“I have a tendency to cling to control, but I think my biggest lesson from the Leaving Cert is to go with the flow more. If you force yourself into the rigid structure and this rigid mindset, the second anything changes or goes wrong, it feels like the world has just shifted from underneath you. By squeezing into an intense schedule, working every night, creating higher and higher standards for yourself, you’re never going to be satisfied, it’s never going to feel like you’re doing enough.

“So, my best advice is: be flexible. Allow change to happen with ease. Prioritise the things that benefit you, whether that be certain subjects to study, exercise or sleep.”

Eve also shares advice for school in general. “In terms of academics, just stay on top of things. It may sound obvious, but it’s harder than it seems. The Leaving Cert cycle lasts two whole years... it’s a long time to be under pressure to do anything more.

“Ultimately, though, I firmly believe that managing your headspace is equally important, if not more so, as managing your study. Burn-out can happen quickly if you’re not careful.”

So how does Eve avoid burn-out?

“TAKE BREAKS! Enjoy life. Go for coffee with a friend, go out on Saturday nights, exercise as much as you feel you need. Your needs will change frequently; minding your mind can look like making yourself do homework so you don’t fall behind, just as much as it can look like taking a long nap when needed.

“School in general is a very insular experience, it consumes so much of your life, so taking a step back and reminding yourself that the world is a very big place can help shift your perspective a little. Nothing lasts forever, not even school.”

As well as managing study, Eve has been member of The Sustainable Sleepover Club (a podcast by a group of YMCA young people on the Sustainable Development Goals) throughout 5th and 6th year, which has now recorded 39 episodes.

“Every guest brings their individual insight and experiences,” she said, as she battles to pick a favourite guest.

“So it’s difficult to compare them, or choose a particular episode, but for me, I think it would have to be Mitzi Jonelle Tan (a climate justice activist from the Philippines) from episode five.”

Given that the podcast has welcomed so many diverse guests, I am interested to hear why this interview stuck with her the most.

“It was so inspiring to hear her speak about both the challenges she has faced, and the amazing experiences she’s had. For Mitzi, the climate crisis is already at her doorstep. I remember her describing how she was equally afraid of the pounding of police at her door, as she was of the pounding rain at her window, and it really just struck me how potent this crisis is for her. She is willing to take such big risks to make a difference, and that is so motivating to hear.”

So what has Eve learned from the Sustainable Sleepover Club podcast as a whole?

“SO MUCH!,” she said. “The point of the podcast has always been to give as many people as possible a voice. But over time, I’ve started to place an intense emphasis on listening, not just speaking. 

"Every person has a unique perspective, shaped by their own experiences, and can offer individual insights. It’s one thing to let someone share that, but it takes a lot more to actively listen to what they’re saying. 

"Having strong beliefs and values is healthy, but I think everyone should be willing to change their mind, or question their values, or challenge their own assumptions.

“From the podcast, I’ve learned the value of listening to understand, not just to respond.”

The thread throughout all of my Youth Matters interviews is to hear the stories of young people in Cork - Eve’s message about listening is so strong, and as she is interested in journalism, I asked: Why do you think sharing stories is important?

“It’s kind of like what I’ve already mentioned; every person has a unique perspective, our experiences shape our beliefs and opinions. So, I think by sharing these stories, it kind of makes you open your eyes and step outside of yourself for a second.

“Often, I think our focus is so internal, our problems, our events, our relationships are so all-consuming that it’s easy to forget the ‘bigger picture’. I think there has been an emphasis placed on individualism recently, on uniqueness and independence. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing, but I just think we’re kind of ignoring important values like community, friendship and empathy for others.

“I think sharing stories can weave a connection around many people and remind people of these values.”

I hope you have enjoyed this six-part series. Catch up on it on the Youth Series link below