The USC Ice Bucket Challenge: A Beginners Guide to What’s Been Flooding Your Feed (and you)
By Jules Nasser
You’ve heard of ice, you’ve heard of the University of South Carolina. Now combine the two, with the incentive of amending an ongoing mental health crisis throughout society - and you get the USC MIND Ice Bucket Challenge, the primary source of your Instagram feeds, TikTok FYPs, whatever it may be. This challenge which has been flooding the media (as well as yourself, from head to toe) is seemingly a source of entertainment, derived to promote engagement and spread awareness. However, this idea’s origin stems beyond the whims of college students - and more so to eleven years ago, with a differing motive in mind.
Golf. Yes, the sport; the sport which illuminated the potential of childlike games alongside pressing global issues, aligned in a quest for conviction. In Summer 2014, professional golfer Chris Kennedy initiated the challenge with cousin Jeanette Senerchia - daring her to partake in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in honour of her husband, Anthony Senerchia, who has been diagnosed with ALS - a disease which purges an indivuals nervous system by causing a lack of control in the muscles, as well as the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, gradually worsening overtime with no cure and high fatality rates.
In honor of her husband, Senrechia “jokingly” took part in the Ice Bucket challenge - gaining attention in her area. Pat Quinn and Pete Frates, two individuals diagnosed with ALS, rebranded the challenge as an ALS fundraiser. The initiative began to gain more traction worldwide, inspiring people to drench themselves and potentially aid a good cause.
Now its back - rebranded and refurbished by 21 year old Wade Jefferson at the University of South Carolina. Jefferson founded the USC MIND club (abbreviation - Mental Illness Needs Discussion) in hopes of crafting constructive events which reiterate the importance of mental health - which the new and improved Ice Bucket Challenge aims to acheive. Inspired by the initial challenge, Jefferson developed a secondary one - with the motive of spreading awareness about mental health. Participants are then incentivized to donate to the non profit Active Minds, which targets the mental health of coming generations - with an estimated 250,000 being donated as of today.
However, despite the trends inclusive nature, many have criticized its efficiency since its basis revolves around having friends to nominate you. Inherently, it creates a conflicting environment which it aims to produce.
Overall, this trend has raised controversy but aims to aid a worthy cause. Aside from the facts, the most eye-opening aspect of this recent trend is the influence which social media has on young minds which will eventually shape the foundation of society in later years. In this case, it provides a crucial opportunity for development and awareness to be cemented on a global spectrum. However, with malicious intentions and clever execution, a differing motive with a full force outcome can easily come into play. It is imperative to understand the impact which social media has on young minds which the world utterly thrives off of - and to utilise it to our advantage.
The Voice would like to provide an opportunity to those who would like to participate, or would like to find enthusiastic individuals to nominate. Fill out the google form below if you are interested in partaking in the challenge:
