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I have problem in understanding the meaning of word "stuff", the first one and the second one:

Jean says that she’s “getting tougher” and learning to detach herself from each teacher’s individual struggle to change and improve. “I’m getting tougher to where I can say, hey, let them go, this is the change stuff that you’re seeing; you’re seeing them blow up, it’s a loss right now and they’re grieving over a lot of stuff. Just get out of the way.

Please tell me the meaning of "stuff" in this context (both the first one and the second one).

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CED

Stuff:

informal a substance, especially when you do not know or say exactly what it is:

There's sticky stuff all over the chair.

What's this black stuff?

He drinks gallons of tea - he loves the stuff.

informal things that someone says or does, when you are referring to them in a general way without saying exactly what they are:

All that stuff she has been saying about Lee is just not true.

We did some really interesting stuff today.

I have to go now - I've got stuff to do.

I've read all her books - I really like her stuff.

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  • this meaning doesn't help me. please tell me the direct meaning. Thank you.
    – user96790
    Jun 10, 2019 at 16:16
  • I am not sure how much more I can help other than giving the definition, but how about a replacement? Both the words in your example could be replaced with "things"
    – Gamora
    Jun 10, 2019 at 16:19
  • for the second one, replacing with things makes sense, but replacing the first "stuff" with things doesn't make sense. what does it mean "this is the change things that you're seeing"
    – user96790
    Jun 10, 2019 at 16:28
  • For the first stuff, you could remove it without changing the meaning of the sentence. It's a poorly written paragraph in any case and probably should not be used to learn English.
    – Gamora
    Jun 10, 2019 at 16:30
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    @Bee - I think the fact that this sentence is inside quotation marks is crucial. It looks like a quote from an interview; as such, it mirrors more how people speak during interviews than how they write in articles or essays. (To the OP:) In this context, "change stuff" is a noun phrase. It looks like it (roughly) means "side effects from the turmoil of drastic change."
    – J.R. ♦
    Jun 10, 2019 at 17:36

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