“Back in high school, I used to want to be a politician. I was elected the head of my house. Now I don’t really like elections, because it can be very fake, and I learned in a course last semester, elections are more complicated, in terms of resulting in change, than people just saying what issues they care about during an election and then acting on those claims if they win. But I am inspired to become more involved in my communities – for example, I want to go to more Durham town hall meetings.

Another thing that’s changed for me since coming here is my mental health situation. I experienced depression as a child, though I didn’t really understand what it was then. My parents noticed, but they didn’t really understand either and I think they figured it would just end, but it didn’t. I just kept living like that without ever confronting my obvious mental health challenges. Then I came to college and a switch flipped. Having put so much energy into school because I felt pressure to do well, I assumed in college I’d feel more liberated—all this intellectualizing would turn into action. But freshman year, life felt exactly the same. At that point, I acknowledged my depression. I’ve been growing internally since then, but it’s been a nonlinear progression.

You feel alone when you’re going through it, but a lot of people experience these challenges. And there are some positive practices that have helped me: I enjoy having a dialogue with myself—determining how I feel, why I feel that way, and what I can change, therapy, journaling helps, expressing gratitude.

This semester, I started the teacher preparation program and I feel more engaged with life because I feel I have more direction & purpose. I am going to become a social studies teacher. I’m worried about school issues, like shootings, and finding a balance of being open with my students without being too open, but I think I’d be a solid teacher. I love talking and learning and I think I could help students who experience struggles. It sounds cliché, but I want to make a difference.”

– Kennon Walton, PPS ‘24 #PPS #humansofdukesanford