I Made a Perfect Circle and Still Felt Crooked

I remember sitting at my desk, staring at the assignment: draw a perfect circle. No compass, just whatever I could find in my backpack. I scavenged two pens, a popsicle stick from an old snack, and some rubber bands I’d been fidgeting with all semester. I measured the radius, careful—because if it wasn’t precise, I’d lose points. That’s how it always was: everything measured, everything judged. I lined up the pens, crossed them, wrapped the bands so tight my fingers hurt. I adjusted, adjusted, adjusted. The circle had to be perfect. Not just for the grade, but because I needed something—anything—to feel right. I finished, looked at the paper, and felt nothing. Just tired. Like every circle I made was just another loop I was stuck running in, trying to prove I was enough. I wish I could say I was proud. Mostly, I just wanted it to be over. #AcademicBurnout #Perfectionism #CollegeReality #Education