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The University of South Carolina’s Mental Illness Needs Discussion club, or USC MIND, began an ice bucket challenge in order to raise awareness for mental health and break down related stigmas.

The challenge began with the USC MIND club founder Wade Jefferson on March 31. Jefferson said the club has three main goals: breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, advocating for suicide prevention, and promoting daily mindfulness.

Videos of students dumping buckets of water over their head donning the hashtag “#uscicebucketchallenge,” also known as the USC MIND Challenge or Speak Your Mind Challenge took the internet by storm as students continue to nominate others across the globe.

Some might recall a similar challenge from over a decade ago known as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

The similarities are evident, as they both involve dumping a bucket of ice water on participants’ heads, however the meaning between the two is quite different. 

The ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) Association began their ice bucket challenge back in 2014 in order to raise awareness and funds for research towards ALS.

The ALS association recognized the USC MIND and approved of their take on the challenge.

“We’re thrilled to see the spirit of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge live on in new forms of activism,” the ALS Association said in a statement given to NBC News.

Elmira students were very involved in the challenge the past few weeks.

“I think the challenge was a great idea,” senior Gabriel Galaviz said. “It helped raise more awareness for mental health while still adding a fun spin to it.”

Some participants of the challenge did not fully acknowledge or recognize the purpose for doing it.

“I think some people get lost in the fun of it,” junior Kharsin Vanhtha told Falcon News. “We all need to remember that the challenge is about mental health.”