Teaching Broke Me—And I Still Owe

I used to think teaching was a calling. Now I just think it’s a debt sentence. I remember standing in front of my first class, heart pounding, telling myself this was worth it. That the loans, the late nights, the unpaid hours would mean something. But every year, it got harder to believe. I started skipping meals to save money. I graded papers at midnight, then lay awake worrying about bills. My inbox filled with desperate parents and admin demands. I stopped seeing friends. I stopped feeling proud. People say teachers are heroes. I just feel tired, used up, and alone. And the debt collectors don’t care how many kids I helped. #TeacherBurnout #DebtFatigue #EducationReality #Education