As students at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) navigate classes and campus life, some also face another challenge: heartbreak. The end of a relationship can disrupt routines and make it harder to focus on school, work and personal responsibilities.
Still, some UTEP students say despite the difficulties they pose, breakups have taught them to redirect their energy instead of shutting down. By focusing on academics, friendships, and personal goals, they say heartbreak, while painful, can become a moment for healing and self-reflection rather than a setback.
For Joaquin Rascon, a junior computer science major, breakups have been less about shutting down and more about redirecting energy. Rascon said he copes by immersing himself in what matters most.
“I put all my energy towards the things that I love. When it comes to Preview (opens in a new tab)school, I put all of my energy in there because that’s what’s important to me at that time,” Rascon said. “Journaling also helps because you get to express your thoughts and you get to express how you feel. Even when you’re not going through a breakup, journaling helps.”
Rascon also relies on physical activity and music to manage the emotional weight that comes with heartbreak. Running, he said, allows him to release stress while processing difficult emotions.
“I love to run, so I’ll take it out on a run, or I’ll listen to music and just vibe out to it,” Rascon said. “I let that energy out.”
Sophomore sociology major Camila Calderon described breakups as disruptive events that arrive without warning and immediately rearrange daily life.
“A breakup is a very big change in your life that’s super abrupt, so it is going to cause a lot of chaos in your normal routine. It’s best to at least try to do the bare minimum than try to do everything at once,” Calderon said. “It’s not the end of the world.”
Sophomore psychology major Nevaeh Rodriguez shared a similar experience after going through a breakup before the fall semester began. She said surrounding herself with friends and redirecting her focus toward academics helped her recover.
“The way I got over it was just by being around my friends,” Rodriguez said. “And honestly, putting the energy that I would put into the relationship into school, into studying.”
Rodriguez described the process as reclaiming her time and turning it into something productive while being mindful of how relationships impact their well-being and goals.
“I kind of just subbed out that time for ‘me time.’ Me time also includes my friends and my studies.” Rodriguez said. “If you’re not happy and they’re not helping you or bettering you, then it’s a distraction, and you don’t need it.”
Both Rascon and Rodriguez emphasized the importance of leaning on support systems during difficult moments. Rascon encouraged students going through heartbreak to open up rather than isolate themselves.
“Talk to the people that you love,” Rascon said. “It’s good to open up to the right people because they really care about you. Even when they don’t understand you a hundred percent, it’s good for them to hear you out. Just know that you’re not alone when it comes to it.”
While college breakups can feel overwhelming, UTEP students say the experience often leads to growth, self-reflection and renewed focus. Through academics, friendships, and healthy coping strategies, students are learning that heartbreak, though painful, can become a turning point.
Fred Kepfield is a contributor writer for The Prospector and may be reached at [email protected]
