Above photo: Zoe Hay, president of PEERS, hosted the open mic night to combat the effects of social media on self image and confidence. Luke Cross | The Crow’s Nest
By Luke Cross
The Edge was alive with the intimate tones of live music and shared poetry Friday as students connected with each other over the harmful effects of social media.
The open mic night focused on social media’s impact on self image and confidence through the lens of student-made poetry. It was hosted by the student organization PEERS, which stands for providing education, empowerment, resources and support.
The student-led organization is dedicated to health and wellness issues at USF St. Petersburg
“We like to put on events that pertain to the topic of health,” said Zoe Hay, president of PEERS.
“We wanted to pick something relevant and not too broad, so we chose social media and its impact on mental health.”
Open mic nights are a recurring event for PEERS.
“In the past we’ve done open mics to help with stress relief, and last year we did one on relationships and domestic violence awareness,” Hay said.
The night began with a live performance from the musicians club, leading into a presentation given by Hay that put forth some concerning facts — young adults spend nearly nine hours consuming online media, for instance.
Spending so much time online, especially on social media, can permanently alter the brain’s chemical makeup, according to Hay’s presentation.
“It was really interesting to see social media statistics and how they relate to mental health,” said Gianni Bessette, a junior economics major.
Bessette has attended PEERS open mic nights before, and returns for the powerful impact they have.
“The last time I went to one, I cried over my friend’s poem,” said Bessette.
As the night came to a close and students finished sharing their works, Hay offered an open invitation to use the services provided by the Wellness Center.
Located in room 2200 of the Student Life Center, the Wellness Center hosts a rentable massage chair to de-stress and up to 12 free counseling sessions from licensed mental health professionals on campus.
“There’s a bundle of resources that no one really knows about tucked away in the SLC,” said Hay.
Ultimately, Hay sees events such as open mic nights as a means for students to not only connect better with one another, but also with themselves.
“I hope that people connect with someone new and can become more self aware of their social media habits,” said Hay. “PEERS and our events aren’t about saying no, it’s about having a healthier perspective on life.”
