After 4.5 Months of Going Whenever I Want

I thought I’d finally broken the habit. Four and a half months of not timing my bathroom breaks to the bell, of not holding it until my body ached. I thought I’d left that behind with the classroom keys. But two days back and it’s automatic again. I watch the clock, plan my water intake, tense up at the sound of the hallway stampede. My body remembers what my mind tried to forget: that being a teacher means rationing basic needs, swallowing discomfort, and pretending you’re fine for the kids. No one tells you how fast your freedom shrinks, or how quickly you’ll trade it for a paycheck and a lesson plan. I used to joke about my teacher bladder. Now it just feels like proof I can’t unlearn survival. #TeacherLife #Burnout #SchoolReality #Education