The Ends of Possibilities

University comes with a lot of extra toppings. Promotional pamphlets are sure to rattle off a range of amenities like clubs, intramural sports, and career services. Many students do end up engaging with a variety of these offerings, and for some, it can mean the difference between life and death. College can and should be fun, but sometimes drug- and alcohol-use creates more stress than it’s intended to relieve. At Fresh & Sober, UMass students questioning their substance use or those who may already be in recovery can find a mentoring system and an on-campus support network, as well as help plugging into other area resources.

Located on the third floor of the University Health Services building, Fresh & Sober is a support program operating out of the Center for Health Promotion. The program was spearheaded in 2003 by Diane Fedorchak, a health educator who is now the Center’s Interim Director. In her work at the time with young people in another job, Diane found appropriate and meaningful ways to share her own recovery story that opened up a brave space for these emerging adults to question some of their own behaviors. Realizing that her new position at UMass meant she could throw institutional weight behind that organically-forming system of support, Diane began to envision and implement what stands today as Fresh & Sober.

A student struggling with substance use of any kind can choose to use Fresh & Sober in a number of different ways. Students can schedule a one-on-one meeting with either Diane Fedorchak or Tommy Claire, both of whom are health educators specializing in substance abuse. This is an anonymous space for people to ask questions and air concerns about their relationships to substances, to reflect on the ways and reasons they use, and to process that in whatever way feels right to them. The student sets the pace of each conversation, and Diane and Tommy are explicitly nonjudgmental in their guidance. Besides mentoring, students can use Fresh & Sober to connect with peers going through similar situations or to access resources like meeting lists for local Alcoholics Anonymous groups. The Center for Health Promotion also runs a Recovery Drop-In Center on Thursdays and Fridays from 1-5pm while classes are in session, where people in recovery or seeking recovery can get together casually. Because the program is funded through the Student Health Fee, there are no direct fees associated with using Fresh & Sober services.

Diane makes a great effort to sustain this environment for UMass students, ensuring that people who need to get in to see someone can do so quickly. With support from her supervisors, she’s been able to shape Fresh & Sober as a program where mentor and mentee alike can explore their authentic selves. Recovery work is revolutionary and relational. It requires radical honesty, vulnerability, accountability, compassion, and imagination. At Fresh & Sober, we might first do the critical work of surviving substance use on a day-to-day basis, but the unique path each student makes towards thriving in their own way also contributes to wider community wellness. Unpacking substance use is humbling. Learning to navigate it healthily is world-making.