By: Fatin Rahman, Francis College of Engineering Well-Being Leader

As I wrap up 2025, I keep returning to the mantra that carried me through every ridiculous, painful, chaotic moment this year: life is coming from you, not at you.

I think about all the times things felt out of control, when I sprained my ankle in March and had to walk around campus with a limp, when I injured my hip in November and was forced into bed rest, annoyed and embarrassed that I wasn’t more careful, especially during midterms. I think about my birthday in October, when I completely broke down from the pressure of classes, work, clubs, deadlines… just everything.

And yet, that mantra pulled me through every single time. It reminded me that there is no invisible hand shaping my fate. Things happen, yes: inconvenient, painful, unfair things. But  I decide what I make of them. I’m not the victim of my life’s circumstances; I am the one steering through them.

I think back to that Tuesday in November. I knew the injury was bad, but the consequences hadn’t sunk in yet. My mind spun out instantly: What events will I miss? Will my boss think I’m unreliable? How many classes will I fall behind in? Am I really starting from zero in the gym again after working so hard?

And then, almost like a snap:  So what?  If I have to restart, I’ll restart. I’ve done it before. I survived because I refused not to.

When the world starts closing in, when exams pile up, when work responsibilities stack, when the “halfway-through-college” panic hits,  I remind myself how far I’ve come simply from not yielding. Reframing everything this way has been my greatest strength. I’ve given a few horrible presentations that made me want to hide under a rock. I’ve had days where nothing went right. But progress isn’t linear; it’s messy, humbling, and sometimes just straight up mean.

Still, I don’t fold. Because whatever unstoppable force life decides to fling at me meets something even stronger: my will, my resilience.

And that’s why I cling to the things that keep me grounded: the gym, my friends, spontaneous city trips, small routines that remind me life is still good and still mine. People always ask, “How do you do it all?” and I always start with this quote.

Life is coming from you, from your choices, your strength, your mindset, not at you. And the moment I started believing that, everything changed.