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Learning to prioritize my own mental health while supporting others has been very difficult for me to learn to balance. Once I got to college, I felt like all the responsibilities in my life just doubled, and so did the number of people in my daily life. It can become very overwhelming trying to learn how to take care of all these new people in your life, family, and leave room for yourself. Something that I tried to remind myself to do while at school was to pick one thing f

Supporting others has always been important to me, but I have learned that taking care of my own mental health is just as important. If I am feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or emotionally exhausted, it becomes much harder to be there for the people who need me. Prioritizing my mental health means making time for rest, exercise, getting enough sleep, and doing activities that help me relax and recharge. It also means recognizing when I need a break and not feeling guilty about

When it comes to active listening, I think that it is one the most important things we can do to show up for one another. “Active” implies that we are engaged, focused, and a willing participant in the listening as opposed to passive. This shows that we are more than just a set of ears and more of a shoulder to lean on or a mouth to give consensual advice. This type of listening is so important because it makes the other person feel seen and truly heard. I know for myself the

Hello to anybody reading this. My name is Gina Marinelli, and I am this year’s national intern for CogWell. I am currently a senior at Immaculata University, pursuing a degree in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and Journalism. I am also a former member of the Immaculata Women’s Soccer team. One of the main reasons I decided to intern for CogWell is because of my own mental health struggles. I was originally supposed to graduate in 2025, but I to

I use the skills I have learned as a CogWell student leader every day. In my personal life, the active listening practices are so important to every conversation I hold. Whether I’m talking to family, friends, or strangers, I am much more cognizant of my behavior and actions when I’m listening to others. This awareness is helpful on its own, but the specific active listening skills, like those in ILEAP, make me an even better listener. I strengthen my relationships with other

Serving as a student leader in Penn’s CogWell chapter has benefitted me in a variety of ways, most notably academically. As a psychology major, much of what I learn in class focuses on understanding the theories, neuroscience, and research that explain mental illness, psychological functioning, and well-being. Through CogWell, I have had the opportunity to implement important concepts within my coursework into practice. Preparing and facilitating workshops has also challenged

When someone trusts me and turns to me for help or direction, it means a great deal to me. I think it is very important that someone feels safe in opening themselves up to me about something private. I do care about the people in my life, and so it is important that I am someone they turn to when they need help. I am reminded of the importance of just being there for someone sometimes when the most important thing you do for them is sit and listen. ILEAP skills have prepare

When someone comes to me for support or guidance, I honestly feel honored because it means they trust me enough to be vulnerable. At the same time, it can feel like a big responsibility since I want to respond in a way that actually helps. My first instinct is usually to try to solve the problem, but I have learned that people often just want someone to listen and understand what they are going through. The I LEAP skills have helped me realize that supporting someone is about

I joined Cogwell because my roommate knew about the club and encouraged me to attend a meeting with her. She had a connection with the professor who ran the club and always spoke highly of her, describing her as approachable, supportive, and passionate about helping students. Hearing my roommate's positive experiences made me curious about the organization. I had also heard good things about the welcoming atmosphere and the strong sense of community among the members. I was l

My name is Jessica Pinto, and I am a Junior at Immaculata University. I am a part of the education department, and I really love to read. I am a softball coach, and I volunteer at a local preschool in my free time. I loved to be around my family and friends. I found CogWell through Dr. Melissa Rice, our chapter advisor and my freshman year seminar class professor. She invited me into the club, and I went once and have been going ever since. At my first meeting, I was so nervo

Teaching active listening skills to other groups on campus through CogWell is very different from actually practicing it myself. Earlier this year I completed a week-long active listening project for my Positive Psychology class, where I intentionally put my phone away during conversations with my friends and focused on being fully present. Although I work to teach others about active listening, the project made me realize how often I found myself doing things that distracted

I practice active listening every day as a medical assistant. In a fast-paced office environment, it is easy to sometimes lose sight of the importance of patients as individuals and as people while focusing on their healthcare. However, I make a conscious effort to listen actively to each patient, and it has greatly impacted how I see care. By giving these patients space to explain their feelings, whether related to their health problems or not, they often feel much more at e

My favorite memory and most impactful activity as a member of CogWell was the first training I helped lead. I walked into a room filled with around 100 freshman-year nursing students, somewhat daunted by what was to come. While I knew each activity in our Listen Up workshop and was confident I was able to assist in each of these while sharing my own experiences with CogWell, I was nervous when we started our presentation. However, once it began, I felt more comfortable in sha

My favorite memory from CogWell was volunteering at the Listen Up workshop for first-year nursing students at Penn. Before this experience, I had only participated in CogWell activities within our own chapter, so this was my first opportunity to see how one of our workshops could impact a larger group of students. It was meaningful to watch the students become more engaged as the workshop continued and see them connect the activities to their own experiences. One part that

One of the biggest things I have learned through college and my involvement with CogWell is that supporting others starts with taking care of yourself. As someone who enjoys helping friends and being a person others can talk to, I used to think that being supportive meant always being available. Over time, I realized that constantly putting everyone else’s needs before my own could leave me feeling drained and overwhelmed. Being part of CogWell has taught me that active

One way I take care of myself and maintain my mental health is by following a schedule. Through experience, I have realized that I am my best when I follow a structured pattern. This helps me stay on top of my game and keep my mind clear from any chaos. As a student-athlete, juggling school, softball, various leadership roles, and my personal life, I have realized that following a schedule allows me to dedicate all of my attention to one task at a time rather than being worri

Being a student leader in my CogWell chapter has really changed my perspective on my college experiences personally. I have always wanted to make an impact and help others. CogWell gave me a space to do this. I started at CogWell as just someone who wanted to make new friends and have something to do and it turned it to something so much more. CogWell gives everyone a place to be themselves and speak their minds, for me it was a place where I could play to my stren

Serving as a leader in my CogWell chapter has helped me grow in ways that extend beyond the organization itself. Personally, it has strengthened my confidence, communication skills, and ability to support others. Leading has taught me how to listen actively, solve problems, and create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued. Academically, my leadership role has improved my time management, organization, and ability to balance multiple responsibilities. Coordinati

I initially joined CogWell as a way to spend time with my friends on Monday nights. At the time, I did not know much about the organization, but several of my friends were involved and enjoyed it. As a psychology major, I also thought it would be a good opportunity for me to engage with topics that interested me outside the classroom. I expected to attend meetings, learn a few new skills, and spend time with people I already knew. What I found, however, became much more than

My name is Lucas; I’m a rising senior at Penn studying biology on a Pre-med track, and I have been a member of CogWell since I arrived on campus three years ago. My introduction to CogWell came from my older sister, Emily, who was an involved member for her entire undergraduate career. In all honesty, I wasn’t the most enthusiastic member to start, and only continued coming to appease my sister until we started to dive into the club’s mission and programming. First, I quickly