By: Fallon Weiss, Kennedy College of Sciences Well-Being Leader

So. Two years left.

I’m halfway through my college career, and looking back on myself in the previous year? For the lack of a better phrase… I was completely uncentered. My spring semester last year was mountainous, and while I struggled to keep up, I felt the stress more than ever. Stress came from everywhere – professors, assignments, and worst of all, myself. I was my own worst critic, the one person in my own head shouting at me to do better, to just understand and learn as easily as it seemed everyone else did. I was getting assignments turned in, I was grasping the material, but the cost of it was mentally self-destructive. I wound up stuck in a metaphorical hole, trying any and all tools to get myself out of it. My emotions chopped and changed. I was more irritable over the smallest of things. I felt so weighed down by my assignments that even when I did manage to have a break after a few weeks, it didn’t help. That burned out feeling stayed within me, and no amount of naps or cups of tea could get my mind out of the web it was caught in. 

So, what did I do? I decided that I was going to take the summer to reflect, and focus all my attention inward. I couldn’t continue the path I wanted to walk like this – it was miserable. I talked with family and friends, and worked with my therapist to discover more about my brain and how it works. To make a very long story short, here I am: An ADHD diagnosis in one hand, and true introspection about how my brain decides to go about things in another. It finally made sense why I’d been struggling so much, and with that came self-acceptance, a breath of fresh air, and more determination than ever to tackle what’s left in my way toward my bachelor’s degree. So, as this year passes I’ll be sharing more of my experiences, hiccups present and past, as well as some of my gained wisdom from looking inward. Will it work for everyone? No, but I know it could work for some people. Maybe even just reading this, being honest and one-hundred percent with myself and my reflections here can encourage you to reflect and look inward this semester too. After all, understanding your mind is the first step to caring for it.

When you hit walls academically, what does your brain do? 

How do you spark motivation? Tackle imposter syndrome? 

What does your inner voice say? 

And, well, most importantly: If you feel stuck like I was, in a hole with nowhere to go, what do you do? What do you think you might need to change or adjust?

Because as someone who was there for a while, thinking I was out of reach for help for so long after trying everything I could think of: It’s not always as easy as a simple mantra. Deep breaths don’t fix where you are. It takes grit and it takes work, a lot of work. But, that’s okay, because trust me when I say that time and work for me was more than worth it.

Working on yourself is difficult, but you’re not alone. Mental Health and Well-Being looks different for everyone; one size doesn’t fit all. You have the power to tailor what you need and your support to what works for you. If you don’t know, that’s okay too! The wonderful, if messy, world of a Well-Being journey isn’t an easy one, but it’s yours. You’re the only one who can walk it: You control the pace, what roads you decide to follow, and what you focus on. And well, if you need it, blog posts like this and both online as well as in-person support around the Serenity Center will be there to provide insight and tips. If you’re ever interested in talking or meeting with me specifically, I’m hanging out in Falmouth 203A from 1pm to 3pm Wednesdays and Fridays. You can walk in or set up a time to meet with the link below – I’m happy to discuss anything with your journey and provide assistance however I can. 

My Meeting Schedule Link!
And, while small things can’t pull you out of every hole, they can remind you that you can climb – even if it’s just one foothold at a time. When it comes to your Well-Being, you have so much more power than you think. All you have to do is take that first step: Even if it’s something small.

By: Soham Sawant, Kennedy College of Sciences Well-Being Leader

There are many kinds of problems that a student faces, but the most dangerous ones are the smaller less noticeable problems that stack up over time. We usually think about the big student problems, right? Failing a final, a massive project blowing up, or just pure exam-week panic. But honestly, the scariest problems aren’t the loud ones. They’re the tiny, quiet issues that you barely even notice… until they stack up and everything suddenly feels like it’s falling apart.

It all starts small. The semester gets busy, assignments start piling up, and your sleep schedule takes the first hit. You stay up late, but you still have to drag yourself to that early class. The exhaustion builds. Pretty soon, you’re just too tired and you hit “snooze” one too many times. You skip class, and boom—you’re already behind. But that’s where the stacking really kicks in. Because you’re rushing to that next class you didn’t skip, you grab a coffee instead of breakfast. Now you’re running on low energy all day, which makes you burn out faster and makes that night’s homework feel way harder. See? One small problem (lost sleep) just stacked into three (being behind, bad nutrition, and burnout).

This “stacking effect” is happening all the time. Think about the “academic debt” you build up. You skip a 30-page reading, thinking, “Eh, I got the gist from the lecture.” Next week, you skip a 15-minute video. No big deal, right? But a month later, you’re in class, and the professor is referencing all those small things you missed. You’re completely lost. When it’s time for the midterm, you’re not just reviewing—you’re learning a month’s worth of material from scratch. Or what about the slow drain from your phone? You sit down to study and tell yourself, “Just a five-minute check.” Twenty minutes later, you’re back. This isn’t just about the lost time; it’s about losing “deep work.” Every time your brain switches from your problem set to social media, it has to hit reset and reload all that complex info. It’s mentally exhausting. An assignment that should’ve taken one focused hour now takes three frustrating hours, pushing your whole schedule back.

So, why is this a big deal to recognize?

You can finally figure out the real problem. When you’re failing, it’s easy to think, “I’m just lazy” or “I’m not smart enough.” That’s a dead end. The real diagnosis might be, “I’m only getting six hours of sleep,” or “My desk is a disaster zone.” You can’t fix “being lazy,” but you can fix your sleep schedule.

It makes overwhelming problems feel solvable. The idea of “getting my life together” when you’re swamped feels impossible. It’s a mountain. But this approach breaks it down. You can’t “catch up on a month of work” today. But you can “eat a real breakfast.” You can “put your phone away for 25 minutes.” Fixing one small thing gives you the energy to fix the next, creating a good cycle for a change.

This is how burnout really happens. It’s not one big explosion. It’s a death by a thousand cuts. Your energy and focus are like a battery. Every skipped meal, lost hour of sleep, and random distraction is a small drain. When the battery hits zero, you’re burnt out. Learning to spot and manage these small, stacking problems as a student is one of the most useful skills you’ll ever build. It’s not just about grades; it’s about learning how to run your life in a way that doesn’t run you into the ground—a skill you’ll need for your job, your money, and your relationships long after graduation.

By: Devansh Ramani, Francis College of Engineering Well-Being Leader

“A reflection on growth, nostalgia, and looking ahead as a college senior.”

This Fall, I officially became a senior. I’ve thought about this day ever since I first stepped onto campus, and now that it’s here, it feels both surreal and exciting. Over the years, I’ve created countless memories with friends — some who have already graduated, and others who will follow after me. But there’s one thing we all share: the realization that this might be the last time in our lives that we study not entirely out of our own volition, but to pass a class, earn a better grade, or better understand the field we’ve chosen to dedicate our lives to.

Looking Back

When I think back to my early college days, I can’t help but feel both regret and envy. Those were the times when I went to class not just to learn, but to meet new people, laugh, and make memories. I remember walking around campus with no real plan, just enjoying the freedom of being young and curious.

Now, as graduation approaches, I find myself reflecting on those moments with nostalgia. I miss the simplicity of those days — when the future felt distant and the present was enough.

Standing at the Crossroads

Today, my thoughts are filled with questions about what comes next. How will I face the world beyond college? What steps should I take to reach my goals and ambitions?

It’s a strange mix of fear and excitement — the uncertainty of leaving something familiar, but also the thrill of stepping into something new. Still, I know that these years at UMass Lowell will remain among the most precious of my life. Even if I forget some faces or moments, the lessons and emotions will stay with me forever.

Lessons Learned (and Still Learning)

Looking back, I realize I’ve done more silly, spontaneous things in college than in the rest of my life combined — and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ll probably do a few more before graduation too.

But I’ve come to see that what matters most isn’t the regret of what we didn’t do — it’s the nostalgia of what we did. So, to anyone still in their college years:

• Create memories.
• Make friends.
• Focus on your studies.

Because nostalgia feels a lot better when you’re building your future surrounded by people you love, rather than wishing you had done more when the moment was still yours.

Moving Forward

As I enter the final stretch of my undergraduate journey, I’m learning that the end doesn’t mean it’s too late to change or improve — it’s never too late. There’s still time to grow, to course-correct, and to chase the goals that once felt distant.

Each day left before graduation is another opportunity to take a step toward the person I want to become. The strive for greatness doesn’t begin after the diploma — it begins now, in the choices I make, the habits I build, and the effort I’m willing to give.

So as I prepare for what’s next, I’m choosing to move forward with intention, determination, and hope. When I walk across that stage to receive my diploma, I want to do so knowing that I didn’t just finish college — I became more of who I was meant to be.

“Cherish the now — because someday, it’ll be what you look back on with a smile.”

By: Minh Tran, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Well-Being Leader

There is a saying that goes, “The way to someone’s heart is through their stomach,” and I have come to really resonate with this idea over the past couple of years. As someone who indulges in the culinary world through my food blogs, I have found that food can be both comforting and unsettling. A well-prepared and delicious dish can leave me nourished and satisfied, whereas an ill-prepared and grotesque dish can leave me sick and uneasy. In a way, our emotions and feelings work in the same way. Just as we “stomach” the food we eat, you can stomach your feelings as well. Learning to understand what emotions not to “stomach” and what to enjoy can allow you to build better relationships with not only yourself, but others as well.

Imagine sitting in a Michelin-star restaurant. A nine-course meal awaits you, and with every bite you take, you can feel the warmth of the savory food on your palate and filling your stomach. Your friends and family gather around the table, laughing and engaging in conversation as you enjoy this delicious meal. You look around and are grateful for the food on the table and the people around the table. Likewise, emotions of joy and happiness fill you with that same warmth that the Michelin-starred meal provides. Emotions like joy, pride, hope, enthusiasm, and love extend that same warm feeling inside your stomach. You feel happy and truly feel grateful for the things around you. This positivity in emotion radiates off of you and reflects onto the people closest to you. When you bring joy into the conversation, people can feel that energy you are emitting and feed off of that as well. So, it is important to stomach the good emotions, because not only will you feel good about yourself, but it will have a positive effect on others as well.

Now imagine it’s a late night of studying. You are really hungry, but the only food in your fridge is old noodles from over a week ago. You heat it up and force yourself to eat the noodles despite an odd sour taste that lingers on your tongue. An hour later, you begin to feel nauseous and regret stomaching the old leftovers. The nausea prevents you from being able to focus on your studies, and you grip your stomach in pain and eventually throw up. This can be what it is like to pent up negative emotions. Negative emotions like guilt, anger, resentment, and frustration can give you that same nauseous feeling that those noodles gave you. When you hold onto negative emotions, in a way, it acts as a burden, which can contribute to your stress levels and overall mood. When the negative emotions build, they can affect how you go through your day and distract you from what is actually present. Like how the nausea distracts you from the stomach because of the pain, negative emotions can distract you from what’s important and make you focus on the stress. Stomaching these negative emotions can also affect those around you as well. When you’re keeping these feelings bottled up without a proper outlet, you can take out your emotions on those around you. Feelings of anger and resentment can build up, and when those closest to you try to talk to you, you may lash out because of all that built-up anger inside of you. It is important to understand that these bad emotions you stomach need to be released. Having it build up inside of you can create a bigger problem for you, and others can feel that negativity around you as well. Similar to how throwing up gives you a brief feeling of relief, letting go of these negative emotions can help you feel lighter. Understand that when you try to stomach negative feelings, it doesn’t only hurt you, but those around you who want you to be happy.

With all that said, emotions are more complex than food. This analogy gives a good example of how stomaching positive and negative emotions can affect you overall, but it is important to understand that just because not stomaching bad emotions can allow you to avoid negativity, it does not mean that bad emotions are not important to understanding yourself as well. Like all things, emotions require balance. You shouldn’t avoid trying to feel these negative emotions because it may allow you to feel better. However, negative emotions can provide an outlet in certain situations that being positive won’t allow you to feel. It is okay to stomach negative feelings at times because we all need balance within our lives. There are times when you may need to lash out or feel angry at certain situations. Being positive all the time won’t help you understand your emotions and how you feel. Sometimes letting these negative emotions show will help you understand how it makes you feel and why.

Certain feelings can be stomached, others need to be released in an emotional outlet. Your emotions and how you understand yourself are complex matter, and you know how you feel better than others. Similar to how you know what foods you like and what you don’t. Understanding the way to your heart is understanding what feelings you should stomach and shouldn’t, allowing you to build better emotional relationships with yourself and others.

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.

By: Nokomis Bramantecohen, College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Well-Being Leader

Introduction 

Fashion has always been more than just clothes, but rather it is how we express ourselves, connect with others, and even mark the different chapters within our lives! But what happens when self expression turns into overconsumption? From fast fashion hauls to overflowing closets, many of us (including myself 🙂 ) have fallen into the easily trappable cycle. The good news? With a little awareness and intention, fashion can shift from something wasteful into something meaningful, sustainable, and even healing!

The Hidden Costs of Fashion

Did you know that 92 million tonnes of textile waste are produced every year? Or that the average U.S. consumer throws away 81.5lbs of clothing annually? Even more concerning, $500 billion is lost each year because of people not wearing the clothes that they have previously purchased and/or failing to recycle clothes. Nearly 10% of ocean microplastics come from textiles, and in 2020 alone, 2.6 million tonnes of returned clothes have ended up within the U.S. landfills. 

Just these few facts alone about fashion show our consumer habits and the fast fashion industry have created a cycle of waste, pollution, and overproduction. While the U.S. is a huge contributor, it is really a global problem that is fueled by corporate companies and our newfound culture of constant consumption. 

My Own Struggle with Overconsumption 

Now I’ll be honest, I was once too a victim of this ongoing cycle. Shopping just to shop, following trends without thinking about the long-lasting impact, and even thrifting in excess until I left the store with bags of clothes that I might not even wear. Just for all of it to go back into my already overflowing closet. 

On top of that, I have always been a bit of a hoarder. From clothes, to papers and school projects, and even little trinkets… I have held onto everything! I was constantly waiting for that “just in case moment,” but spoiler alert! That moment never came. 

Fashion Lessons from Milano

When people think about the term “fast fashion” everyone thinks that the concept is made quickly with cheap and of poor quality materials, but it is simply more than just that. Fast fashion is not about the quality of the garment, but rather how inexpensive clothing is produced by mass market companies in response to the latest trends. The quick response to the latest trends is why it is called fast fashion. This is because once something is a trend, numerous popular companies copy the latest trend and put it out as their own claim, in the matter of a week, day, or even just hours after something went viral!

Everything had started to shift when I studied abroad in Milan, Italy, one of the world’s biggest fashion capitals. Over there I took classes that didn’t just talk about the fashion, fabrics, and trends, but rather about fashion as a cultural industry and its impact on our environment as a society as a whole. 

We explored the meaning of “Made in Italy,” which is a label that represents craftsmanship, cultural heritage, and artisanal skill, while also adapting to the demands of modern industrialization and global markets. During my time studying about fashion, we dug deeper into how fashion balances tradition and innovation by producing garments that are both functional and meaningful. A lot of actual fashion might have a symbolic meaning behind it or is used to be highly functional unlike fast fashion which copies trends and skips the creativity aspect. 

I had also learned about the challenges that industry faces today, for example the fragmented supply chains, labor rights concerns, and the difficulty of sustaining small family owned business. Although in Italy they are working towards other sustainable solutions like more conversation about the art of minimalism or investing in a good article of clothing that is timeless and will last throughout your own lifetime and beyond. The more I learned, the more I realized how much fashion is tied to our identities, culture, and sustainability. It is significant to reshape and rethink the way we follow trends and consume them. 

Embracing Minimalism and Outfit Repeating 

In Italy, I also noticed something extremely refreshing and that is people were not afraid to repeat outfits. Over here in America we have created this negative connotation of how embarrassing it can be to be seen wearing the same shirt in the same week or even month. While it sounds silly, it’s actually very true and even alarming. 

In Milan people were not ashamed to repeat outfits, wearing the same shirt twice in one week, or a favorite pair of pants might show up more often. And the funny thing? No one cared! In Italy, sustainability is very much chic, they love to wear what they want to wear and not what the algorithm tells you to buy next!

And that’s when it started to click for me. Living with just the essentials for four months taught me that consuming less does not mean enjoying life less, it actually means enjoying it more! When you don’t fall into the constant consumerism trap, you save money and get to spend it on actual experiences, the ones that you will remember! 

A Form of Healing: Decluttering 

When I return home, I am faced with my three stuffed closets that are overflowing with clothes, shoes, and other accessories. When coming home it was astonishing to me to see my once mundane closet turn into a neverending clothing alternate universe. This is when I knew something had to change. So I started donating a lot of my clothes. Some to charities, friends, family, family of friends, etc. 

Decluttering wasn’t just about creating space, but it was about sharing joy! I remembered how special it felt when my big sister would pass down her clothes to me as a kid. Now, giving my own clothes to others felt just as meaningful if not more. Decluttering for me became not just an act of sustainability, but helped my mental health and connections with people who I love. 

My Go-To Life Hacks for Sustainable Living 

Here below are some small but powerful habits I use to avoid overconsumption, declutter, and shop mindfully: 

1. Seasonal check ins: If I haven’t worn something in four to five months, and will now set it aside to decide whether or not I want to keep it or donate. 
2. The one-two month rule: If I want to buy something new, I will wait a month or two before buying it. This shows that if I really still want it then it is worth the purchase.
3. Shop with intention: if I am going out to the store by myself, I am going out with a purpose and a plan. Of course I love to window shop with friends, but if I know what I want I like to make lists and try not to veer off from the list.
4. Thrifting smart: I love to thrift, but sometimes I can get carried away. I now know to always check when the best deals are and to limit my shopping to a few times a year and to not make it a regular habit. 
5. Limit shopping trips: back in the day my friends and I would go shopping whenever we were bored and had nothing else to do. I now know the art of window shopping and not needing to buy something everytime I go out. 
6. Saving money for experiences: when you shop less, you actually save more! Save the money for travel, concerts, trips to the movies, etc!

Final Takeaways

Hello! I hope that some of my tips and tricks have helped you see fashion and overconsumption in a better light! And of course I’m not telling you to stop purchasing clothes, objects, or things you find absolutely adorable! Trust me I still will buy a shirt or a bag that I think is super cute! I’m just trying to spread the message that most times gets lost, that fashion isn’t about what we wear, but also the values we carry. 

Overconsumption may be the norm here in America and other parts of the world, but decluttering and sustainability can be acts of resistance, healing, and even creativity. By learning from different experiences and making small active changes in our daily routine we can all start to rewrite the fashion cycles. Hopefully by choosing not to feed into the fast fashion trends and overconsumption we can support the values of small businesses, the planet, and the stories behind the clothes that we wear and save more money in our pockets.