By William Coffman, Local News Editor 

Anyone on social media has likely seen videos of their friends engaging in a new trend: the University of South Carolina’s (USC) Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket Challenge. 

Inspired by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from 2014, the challenge involves participants being drenched in cold water while nominating three others to continue the challenge. 

Meant to raise awareness about the disease, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge typically gave participants 24 hours to do the challenge or give money to charity instead. The challenge went viral with many celebrities joining in, including Lebron James, Bill Gates and former President George W. Bush. More importantly, the challenge succeeded in its goal of promoting knowledge of the disease, and according to The Guardian, raised over 220 million dollars towards ALS research. 

Seeking to replicate this success, USC junior Wade Jefferson kickstarted the new ice bucket challenge, basing it off the Mental Illness Needs Discussion (MIND) club, after he lost two friends to suicide. In an Instagram video announcing the challenge, Jefferson listed three goals of the group and the challenge: breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, advocating for suicide prevention on campus and promoting daily mindfulness. 

Under the hashtag #SpeakYourMIND, thousands of videos have been made following similar rules as the ALS ice bucket challenge. Cold water, 24 hours, three nominations and like its predecessor, this challenge is raising money.

As of Sunday night, support.activeminds.org showed that $368,000 had been raised for the cause. The group’s charity of choice, Active Minds, is a nonprofit group that works to raise awareness about mental health for young adults across the country. Participants of the challenge are encouraged to donate any amount they can. 

 “Mental health is important, because a lot of people, including me, struggle with it and its effects like depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions,” sophomore statistics major William Doss said. 

Likewise, sophomore marketing major Colin Hogue agreed that spreading awareness about mental health was important and believes the ice bucket challenge is a successful way of raising that awareness. 

 “Some may consider the challenge just as a fun dare, but I believe it is popular because mental health is a relevant issue for a lot of our generation. If this challenge is able to help at least one person get help, then it is a success,” Hogue said.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has data regarding suicide rates in the US for 2023. According to the CDC, 2023 saw over 49,000 Americans commit suicide. That is one suicide every 11 minutes. 

While data for 2024 is incomplete, studies have indicated a rise in the suicide rate, cementing concerns about mental health. These very real concerns are exactly what the USC Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket Challenge is looking to address.  

The internet has taken on the call to action from South Carolina and is showing those struggling with their mental health that they are not alone.