Amidst stress from school and home, students can often get caught up in their own emotions without safe spaces to release their worries and frustrations. Due to social stigma and gender-based biases, women are likely to be portrayed as aggressive and unprofessional when expressing their frustrations in school and in the workplace, creating a hesitancy to openly express their concerns. 

Divine Feminine Club, a new club at Calvert High founded by freshmen Keelyn Chroniger and Aashka Patel, strives to break the stigma of releasing frustrations and create a space to allow all students to express their emotions through healthy outlets.  

“Aashka and I generated the idea from a discussion our friend group had about being frustrated,” said Chroniger. “We were frustrated about something and found that we were not taught to confront it like other emotions.” 

In their meetings, students engage in activities such as journaling, group discussions, and “scream circles” outside to release their stress. Other stress relieving activities include coloring, creating collages and mood boards, and writing their feelings on black t-shirts with red lipstick to symbolize releasing their stressors when the words are washed out. Through these methods of releasing pent up emotions, students are provided with a set of tools they can use to regulate their emotions in the future. 

“The goal we are trying to achieve through these activities is to create a sense of collective unity and expression without guilt,” said Patel.  

Freshman Allison Hopfinger believes that the club is a great resource for students to learn new coping mechanisms. “I feel that people in our school will have a place to vent about things in their life that they are struggling with,” said Hopfinger. 

All students, even those who do not identify as female, who are interested in learning how to express their emotions in a nonjudgmental environment are encouraged to join. Devine Feminine Club aims to teach students that it is okay and natural to express their emotions while simultaneously strengthening the school community as members engage in safe stress relieving activities with their peers and learn to resolve the situations causing them. 

The Divine Feminine Club meets every Thursday during B-lunch in Ms. Miller’s classroom (328). Through DFC, Calvert is modeling effective ways for students to let go of their stress through healthy coping mechanisms and is working toward encouraging all students to indulge in outlets that reinforce future emotional stability regardless of social stigma.