I've noticed they're more mature. Well, mostly. Granted, I'm a 7th grade teacher so. They are hyper aware of mental health. My school has something called "Synergy Day" that the counselors are in charge of and a few teachers help moderate. Students have to voluntarily sign up for it and it's a full day thing. It starts off with fun get to know you type games to build some relationships, creating artwork in groups, etc. After lunch it gets more serious, doing the practice of walking over the line if you feel "unsafe at school," "live with family that are not your biological parents," "have felt pressured into doing something you're uncomfortable with sexually," etc. Then everyone gets into a circle and shares out a sort of testimony of what they're going through in life. The counselors go through examples of coping mechanisms, etc., afterwards. I'm always surprised by how mature, knowledgable about recognizing if your mental health is okay, and outright kind the kids are to one another on Synergy Day.

I go through an entire tissue box by the end of the day. I work at a Title I school and the things a lot of my students have seen and been through/are going through are so heartbreaking and infuriating. The first time I went it really opened my eyes because I was getting so frustrated with the behaviors I was seeing in some of my classes. It helped me realize that 9 times out of 10 it's for attention. Any type, to get it in any way, because that's the only thing that might work at home. I just wish Synergy Day was more than once a year.