After having troubles with mental health and illnesses and spending the past months trying different medications and missing class for doctors Appointments, I’ve come to realize how much Coastal Carolina University disregards mental health. I have been penalized by teachers because I’ve missed class due to mental illness, and I don’t feel like I have the same chance of success as everybody else. After discussing what I am going through with other peers & classmates, I found I am not alone, as many of them are going through similar situations at the university.  Living with a mental illness isn’t a trend. Mental illness affects every aspect of your life whether you see it or not. To be penalized for having something wrong with you is not fair nor does it give you equal opportunity to succeed. This petition is for Coastal Carolina University to train professors and staff how to properly handle mental illnesses and mental health. It’s time for change.