Makes Sense began with a reality many college students know all too well: the pressure to keep up, figure things out, and have it all together, even when things feel far from okay. Between academic expectations, career anxiety, the race to build a profile, and the challenges of navigating college life, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Yet, while conversations around success are everywhere, conversations around the toll it takes are far less common. We wanted to bridge that gap by building a support system where students could find guidance and support from people who understand their experiences.

We started with Make Connect, our mentorship initiative, connecting students with seniors and alumni who have navigated similar challenges. Sometimes, it helps to speak to someone who has been where you are, someone who can empathise with what you're going through because they've experienced it themselves. Beyond empathy, mentors bring real-world experience, practical advice, and perspective that can make difficult situations feel more manageable. Their journeys are also a reminder that the things that feel overwhelming today don't have to define your tomorrow, and that, with time and the right support, things can get better.

However, we soon realized that mentorship could only address part of the equation. While mentors can offer valuable guidance and career clarity, challenges like persistent anxiety, burnout, and emotional distress may require professional support. Yet, therapy can feel inaccessible to students, both because of its cost and the stigma surrounding mental health. For many, the uncertainty of trying therapy for the first time can be just as daunting as taking that first step. We recognized the need to make therapy more affordable, approachable, and easier to access, without the fear of judgment.

This led us to introduce Make Care, extending our support system to include professional therapy alongside mentorship. Today, Makes Sense brings both tracks together: Make Connect for guidance, shared experiences, and perspective, and Make Care for professional mental health support.

These challenges are personal to us, too. Having navigated many of them ourselves, we know how much the right support can matter. At Makes Sense, we're working every day to make sure that this support is easier to find for the next person who needs it.