By Aarah Sardesai | Intern
For many Baylor students, Moody Memorial Library becomes a second home during finals season. It’s a place where empty energy drink cans, color‑coded notes and quiet determination fill every corner. But three Baylor sophomores noticed something else in the air — stress.
The stress of late-night studying sparked a student‑led partnership with Moody to launch a digital wellness page. San Jose, Calif., sophomore Ananya Bharathapudi said the goal was to offer encouragement, community and mental health support to students studying on campus.
“We want it to feel like a warm hug,” Bharathapudi said.
Bharathapudi, along with sophomores Akshaya Ramakrishnan of San Jose and Rethi Senthilmurugan of Irving, developed the concept and created the content for the page, which is now live on the library’s website.
The idea first took shape during finals week, when Bharathapudi was studying on Moody’s second floor.
“I was really stressed, and as I walked down the stairs, I looked around, and everyone else looked stressed, too,” Bharathapudi said. “There were energy drinks everywhere. That scene made me realize everyone could benefit from receiving encouragement.”
Ramakrishnan said the project grew out of their work in the Pre-Health Professions program, where they were brainstorming ways to make the BSB a more uplifting space.
“PHP is working on making the BSB a happier place, and we wanted to take it a step further and expand that to the rest of campus,” Ramakrishnan said.
Senthilmurugan said the three often study together during finals, and that experience shaped their vision.
“We wouldn’t have woken up or finished our work without encouraging each other,” Senthilmurugan said. “Studying alone can be really discouraging. Having an accessible platform is a way of building community.”
While mental health resources are available online, the team said this one is uniquely tailored to Baylor students, especially those studying through the night alone in Moody.
“This is different because it’s made by students for students,” Bharathapudi said. “It feels more like a peer. It feels relatable. It pushes back against the idea that everyone is competing and builds community instead.”
Ramakrishnan said the page is meant to help students feel less isolated.
“It brings everyone together,” Ramakrishnan said. “It helps students feel less alone.”
Senthilmurugan added that the page is intentionally simple and quick to use, affirming the user without taking up their time. The highlight of the page, the team said, is the collection of quotes and encouragement submitted by Baylor students.
“Most of the student body experiences at least some stress or uncertainty,” Bharathapudi said. “Seeing authentic thoughts from your peers helps you feel supported.”
To bring the project to life, the students partnered with Moody staff, including Associate Director for Advancement, Exhibits and Community Engagement Eric Ames, who helped turn their ideas into a functional webpage.
“We laid out the design in a Google Doc, and Mr. Ames converted it into a webpage,” Bharathapudi said. “It kept the message intact while making it accessible.”
Because the team wanted the page to be discovered naturally, they chose to use QR codes placed throughout the library rather than a searchable link.
“We’re making QR codes,” Ramakrishnan said. “You can’t look it up just yet. But you will be able to find it when you need it.”
Senthilmurugan said technology allowed them to reach far more students than they could through regular outreach.
“We’re only three people,” Senthilmurugan said. “We can’t hand out flyers to everyone. This lets us connect with a large group in a human way.”
The students said the project expands Moody’s role beyond academics.
“Quiet doesn’t have to mean intense or hostile,” Bharathapudi said. “This adds compassion and support. It allows people to feel safe and supported while studying.”
Senthilmurugan said the library is becoming a “third place,” a community space for students outside home and class.
“There are fewer people going to libraries in general,” Senthilmurugan said. “Mr. Ames wanted Moody to feel lively and real, a place of human interaction and support.”
To keep the page updated, the team hopes to maintain a secure, ongoing document where students can continue submitting quotes.
“If they provide the doc in a secure way, it’ll be updated regularly with new quotes from new people,” Bharathapudi said.
The students hope the resource will soften the “grind culture” often associated with Moody during finals.
“This is a way of building community,” Bharathapudi said. “You’re not alone. Even when you’re studying by yourself, you’re studying together.”
