Youth MOVE Massachusetts Newsletter

Youth MOVE Massachusetts is a program of the Parent/Professional Advocacy League

October 20th, 2025 | Issue 14

Turn Your Anger Into Advocacy

Written by Anna Cady Clouse, a Youth MOVE Massachusetts Peer Specialist

The first day of my last semester of college. I had just sat down in my third class of the day, Criminology. My professor was giving an introduction to the course and had started an overview of crime throughout the last century. He had just brought up the University of Texas Tower Shooting, and I was staring at the next slide, a picture of Ted Bundy. A few rows ahead of me, a group of girls started murmuring. Slowly, the murmur took over the room, so much so that the professor stopped the lecture to ask what was going on. The girls in front of me spoke up and, in a somewhat joking tone, let the professor know an emergency alert had been sent out. My phone was on Do Not Disturb, so I checked for myself. My stomach dropped.

“REPORTED WEAPONS INCIDENT @ ******, SOUTH CAMPUS. POLICE/EMERGENCY RESPONDERS EN ROUTE. AVOID AREA. STAY INSIDE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. RUN, HIDE, FIGHT”

We were on South Campus. My first thought was, “It’s finally happening to me.”

There was unrest in the classroom. Some students were making jokes. Everyone was unsure what to do. My professor stopped lecturing, and we sat chattering amongst ourselves. All of us were scouring our social media and group chats for more information. Slowly, a video started to emerge as we shared information. The video showed a man in a black ski mask carrying what looked like a rifle. The video had been captured from a dorm room window. The man was walking towards campus, holding up the weapon and pointing it around him. The tone in the room shifted quickly. Another emergency alert popped up...

Young Adult Resources: Studying

Many young adults aren’t actually taught how to study. Instead, they’re just expected to figure it out along the way. But learning how to study effectively can make a huge difference in how you learn, stay organized, and handle stress. Having a clear study approach helps you manage your time, remember information better, and feel more confident heading into tests or projects. It’s not about spending endless hours with your notes. It’s about finding strategies that work for you!

Learn How to Actually Study

Studying 101

3 Tips on How to Study Effectively

Social Media Spotlight

YMM's social media accounts are made by youth for youth! We share tips and educational content about mental health, youth, and advocacy to create a safe space for young people to learn and connect. Check out some of our posts:

Mental Health Mini Activity

Weighted Stuffed Animal

Weighted stuffed animals can be a great source of comfort, but also a tool to help trick your body and mind into relaxing. Their added weight physically helps calm the body and mind because it provides a steady pressure that helps activate the body’s relaxation response. This helps with lowering stress. Holding a weighted stuffed animal during moments of intense emotion or sensory overload can help you calm down and regulate your emotions. For people who have trouble sitting still or staying focused, the added weight can create a grounding sensation that helps the body feel settled and ready to concentrate. Weighted pressure can even help signal to your body that it’s time to rest, making it easier to fall asleep.

Materials:

Stuffed animal
Seam ripper or small scissors
Beans, rice, or plastic poly-pellets (for weight)
Optional: scented material (like dried lavender or essential oils)
Sewing thread
Sewing needle or sewing machine
Funnel (or make one from construction paper and tape)

Instructions:

1. Open the seam

Use a seam ripper or small scissors to open a seam along the back or side of the stuffed animal.
Make a 3–4 inch opening, just big enough to remove stuffing and add weighted material.

2. Remove the stuffing

Take out the soft stuffing from the body.
You can leave stuffing in the head, arms, and legs if you want them to stay soft.
To avoid the stuffed animal becoming too top-heavy, avoid filling small parts (like arms or head) with your weighted material.

3. Add the weighted material

Use a funnel to pour in the desired amount of your weighted material of choice.
If you’d like to add scent, mix your scented material in with the weighted material before it is funneled in. This could look like mixing dried lavender or a couple drops of your essential oil with your weighted material (such as rice or beans).
Fill until you reach a weight that feels comfortable to you.

4. Close the seam

Hand sew the opening closed with a secure stitch (see: How to Sew)
Reinforce by stitching over the seam a second time.
Or use a sewing machine; just make sure the weighted material stays away from the needle.

5. Check and enjoy!