The Blog

Hi, I’m Lauren Bell, the new social media assistant — and I’m no stranger to mental health struggles. My journey began at a very young age. I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) when I was just five years old, along with ADHD. For a long time, something still felt “off,” but it wasn’t until I turned 15 that …

Hi! My name is Emma. I am a rising junior studying Media Production at the University of Cincinnati, and I aspire to become a filmmaker and overall participate in the creation of visual storytelling in any way I can. I love doing anything creative, whether that be film making, doing something with my hands like painting, thrift flipping, or crocheting. …

Are you stressed, confused, worried, suffocated, or exhausted?  Join the club! (I wish it didn’t have to be under such unfortunate circumstances.) Especially with the pressures of school, peers, parents, teachers—and most of all…yourself!!—it gets tiring trying to keep up with the mounting expectations.  Hi! I’m Rahifa Maricar, a junior at Walnut Hills High School and a member of 1N5’s …

While you’re climbing your ladder of success, don’t forget that you’re living a life you once dreamed of. I had to remind myself of that this weekend while getting ready for my favorite conference of the year with NCAA D2 athletes. I remember very early on in my speaking career, I visualized myself having a consistent partnership with the NCAA. …

In September of 2019, my wife and I rescued a 12-week-old puppy. Bringing home this little dog, which we named Darcy, into our new apartment was a stressful, exciting, and overall chaotic experience. We had no idea how our lives would be forever changed. Little would we know then that the experiences life would throw at us over the next …

It was his first flight. And it was the scariest one of my life. Meeting Ayden was not by chance. His late aunt’s name was Ivy, and he felt like he had a guardian angel watching over him for his first flight. We were on a small 8-passenger flight from Massena, NY to Boston, NY. There were 4 of us …

I didn’t learn how to breathe until I was in college when a yoga teacher told me to stop sucking in my stomach with my breath. Like many twenty-somethings, I assumed she was simply incorrect. I mean, how could I take a deep breath in without sucking in my stomach?  Society had instructed me to suck it in much of …

“I believe that you are a genius and the world is worthy of you and all that you can contribute to the world to make it a better place, a safer place, and a more inclusive space to live.” That is what I have told my students since we began Genius Hour around 2012 from the first day of school. …

My name is Kate Kranias, and I am a member of the 1n5 Youth Council for Suicide Prevention. Through my involvement with 1n5, I am able to advocate for adolescent mental health and work with like-minded peers to debunk stubborn stigmas.  Mental health is everything. Really – it is. Brushing your teeth in the morning, calling a friend, cooking a …

The second worst call of my life came on September 11, 2019. The worst call came on May 19, 2021. The second worst call? They suspected my mom had pancreatic cancer, we just weren’t sure how bad, yet. The worst call? My dad saying three words that shattered me. “She died, Ivy.” All of the healing I had done previously …