DJ Ear spins for mental health awareness week
DJ Ear supports mental health awareness week by playing music in the Saddleback quad on Dec. 1 (By Alyssa Hunter/ Lariat)
Weston Ahern, better known as DJ Ear, spun music in the quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. last Thursday, Dec. 1, in support of mental health awareness week.
DJ Ear, who is recognizable by his green hat with white floppy ears, is in the advanced radio broadcast class at Saddleback College and does work on the KSBR radio station as well as OCrockradio.com. He was asked to come out and DJ for the event.
For eight years now, he has been making his own music.
“I know a lot of people who aren’t quite there, and I have nothing but respect for them,” Ahern said. “There’s not a lot I can do to support, so if I can come out here and let people have a good time, that works for me.”
When he came into the business, he wanted a new name and he came up with “DJ Ear,” which was a secondary choice. It developed into a nickname that many people call him by today.
Ahern said earlier in the day there was a dance troop that performed a jazzercise routine and a pie eating contest.
Students who were at the event said music can help improve your mood and your mental state.
Angela Darnall, 19, undeclared said, “I’m sure music has something to do with therapy. If you are in a bad mood and you turn on music that is happy, it makes you feel better.”
Jason O’neill, 22, criminology said he has a different perspective on mental health, since he has Asperger’s syndrome.
“Maybe this type of music isn’t everybody’s thing, but it is true that it helps, I mean I think music is the greatest thing on this planet,” O’neill said. “Without music, I would be a depressed person.”
O’neill said, “I don’t know what exactly you would call it, but music definitely changes my mood. If you like that music, than it can change your mood in the direction you want it to go.”