Eleven hundred backpacks filled the Oval on Tuesday to remind students of the 1,100 college students who take their lives each year nationwide.

Ohio State was the last stop on a 10-city tour of “Send Silence Packing,” which came to college campuses across the Midwest.

“We know that mental health disorders are likely to present themselves between 18 and 24,” said Kate Maloney, member of the national chapter of Active Minds. “We also know most college campuses offer free help and that often goes under-utilized.”

The event is put on by the national chapter of Active Minds, Inc. It was started by Alison Malmon in 2001 after her brother, an accomplished student at Columbus University, committed suicide.

More than 30 OSU students have committed suicide in the last decade, according to Darcy Haag Granello with the OSU Suicide Prevention Program.

Some of the backpacks that lined the Oval contained personal stories written by loved ones who were affected by someone’s suicide. These stories were sent to Active Minds, and the backpacks were also donated by the people affected.

“It really connects people to a real person whey they see a backpack. They are carrying backpacks to class, so it really brings that one-on-one connection,” said Neethi Johnson, president of Active Minds OSU.

Booths at the event gave students the opportunity to get information about mental health resources on campus and about mental health in general.

One in 10 students seriously considers suicide and more than half of all students have thought about it, Maloney said.

“Send Silence Packing” is meant to promote conversation about mental health to reduce stigmas associated with it.

“Students would not hesitate to get help if they broke their ankle or got really sick, but these issues (mental health issues) are just as treatable as a broken ankle,” Maloney said.

The stigmas are not the only barriers to mental health education for those in college. College students often have hectic lifestyles and do not make mental health a priority.

“Dealing with your mental health is the last thing on your mind,” Stewart said. “Everyone in college is expected to be having the time of their lives.”