By Izayah Morgan Opinions Editor Men's Mental Health Awareness is critical to understanding the way boys and men are perceived in society. A lot of us from what I have been told by close friends and observations find a common theme of not being able to share our feelings with anyone. I struggle with this myself sometimes - especially since I entered adulthood at 18. Combine that with a cancer diagnosis just the year before, I felt as if I had nothing and no one. I felt that I was just so special that no one could understand the predicament I was going through. As I finished up my last session of chemotherapy, it was almost straight to college. It was a culture shock to say the least, which left me scared. My mother presented me with two options: leave college and return home, or just go for it. Thankfully, I chose the latter option. During my first semester, I struggled getting in and out of class due to my motor skills being impaired. Thankfully, my roommate Raffy found the time to help me find and get to my classes. I felt seen and heard by a man I barely knew and it thankfully sent me on the right path. After the first semester, I felt hopeful but still felt I needed to be a part of something bigger than myself. Then and only then, when I wanted better for myself, did I join The Gatepost, Framingham State’s independent student newspaper. I eventually found an amazing community there that branched out to the multiple jobs I now do at the Center for Academic Success and Achievement and the Center for Inclusive Excellence. In my life right now, I am at a high that before in my younger years I would not have recognized I was in until later on in life. To my other men, whether you be family, friends, or even the people I pass by on the street, know you are loved by others. From one man to another, we don't show enough love to those (men) in our lives. We often don't feel appreciated and valued, even when we try to do right. We feel as if no one sees our good deeds and our ability to change. Especially in the online world that we live in, we as young men often compare ourselves to men who hit the lottery young or are far above us in age. We tend not to give ourselves the grace to make mistakes - especially in our youth. Is it out of fear or judgment, that if you fail and have to admit it to those around you that it might be too much to bear? But I'm here to tell you that even if you experience that pain, it will be just a passing moment. Afterwards, you will feel better after getting the thing you were holding back from for so long. I know saying to just share your failures is scary for a lot of men out there. Rightfully so, I still struggle with it to this day. It is a journey to share yourself with the world. And everyone may not accept the honest version of you and what you bring with you. A lot of us are still bearing the pain of what we went through early on. We never ever feel that we could share that part of ourselves with others. But if we don’t, we will end up hurting those that care about us. So let's give ourselves a break. And focus on our mental health.