Welcome to the Struggle Bus
Play with Purpose.
Playful Connections
When was the last time you played? And we mean really played? Many would say that the last time we really played was when we were children.
How did you play? Think about it. Did you play tag with the neighborhood kids? Or did you play with dolls or Legos? Maybe you threw a football around or played hours of Mario Cart while eating ridiculous amounts of Takis. Maybe you couldn’t get enough of four square or kickball. Maybe hide and seek was your jam or you loved playing in the woods in your treehouse.
Many of us have powerful stories and memories of play. Here’s what we want to know: How did you feel when you played? What did it teach you?
Studies show that playing creates an environment for children that fosters creativity, communication, connection, and resilience. So, why did many of us stop playing? The Struggle Bus folks wrestle with this question a lot. We believe that it’s never too late to start playing again. Play heals. Play transforms. Play creates resilience.
The moments when we laugh and play are the moments when we unleash our inner kid, and that kid often intuitively knows what our “grown up” self truly needs. We need to play together with purpose. (FYI, the purpose is human connection and creating resilience). The Struggle Bus will provide play opportunities for college students by offering pop up play activities around campus. These will offer opportunities for students to laugh together, be silly, and smile. They will enable young adults to feel less isolated, more connected and more resilient. We sincerely believe that the Struggle Bus will transform the JMU community and beyond (we like to imagine fleets of Struggle Buses in college towns throughout our country).
Entrepreneurship
We have learned that 90% of Gen-Z folks identify as entrepreneurs. We’ve also realized that within our college community, a significant number of students own their own small businesses and find a lot of purpose in creating beauty for others. A number of our fellow students are skilled graphic designers, and they will design unique Struggle Bus merchandise. In addition, many of our fellow college students knit, crochet, sculpt, paint, craft jewelry, bake and create things that make the world a more vibrant and delicious place. The Struggle Bus shop will operate as an online store. We’ll also set up shop whenever the Struggle Bus is open for business. Proceeds from the Struggle Bus shop will fund our initiative’s efforts and enable us to remain sustainable for years to come. Over time, we hope that proceeds from the shop and donations from generous supporters will help fund therapy for students and young adults who need financial assistance.
Mental Health Education
Our nationwide mental health crisis is complex, and we understand that we cannot and will not “fix” or end this on our own. However, we believe that adequate and accurate mental health education is vital as we seek improved wellness and mental health outcomes as individuals and communities. We will have a number of licensed therapists as Struggle Bus volunteers and advisors. We hope that these mental health professionals will spend time connecting with college students at the Struggle Bus in a relatable and approachable manner. We want them to “hang out,” sing some karaoke or play some jenga, and be available for real life questions and concerns.
We also will offer information about accredited and highly rated mental health resources in our area. We want to destigmatize conversations around mental health. We’ll host seminars and small groups with local trauma-informed mental health professionals. Simply put, “it won’t all be fun and games.” (Okay, most of it will be, but not all …) The Struggle Bus will offer fun and games - and information, education and space for courageous dialogues and conversations, too.
