By: Saryna Vith, Manning School of Business Well-Being Leader

It’s another cold morning in Lowell. The sun barely shows, and I’m already awake.  Tired, but moving. Senior year at UML means night classes, high-level courses, and a schedule that never slows down. Work’s flexible, thankfully… not as hard as school, but the weight of both still builds up. Restless days, quiet nights, yet I keep going. I have to.

It’s easy to make friends here, but hard to trust. Everyone’s chasing something, a degree, a dream, an escape…and sometimes, connection feels temporary. Still, I smile, show up, and keep my circle small.Being an only child makes it hit deeper. The silence after class, thinking about home, my parents, the reason I push through every deadline. I’m getting older, thinking more about the future, how to turn all this struggle into stability for them.

The cold here bites, but not as sharp as missing home, so I keep moving.
One late class, one long night, one small win at a time, because every step forward is another promise kept.