I Chased the Universe’s First Light. I Lost Sleep Instead.

Lab notebook, unsent. They say the 21-centimetre signal could tell us how everything began. I’ve spent months running simulations, tweaking models, pretending the numbers mean more than the ache in my jaw from grinding teeth at 2am. The universe waited 13 billion years to whisper its secrets, but my PI wants answers by Friday. I stare at REACH’s data and wonder if the first stars felt this alone before they burned out. Every new model is a gamble—another late night, another email I’m too tired to read. The only thing I’m certain of is how much I want to care, and how much it costs to keep caring. Maybe the universe emerged from darkness. I’m still waiting for the light. #ScienceFatigue #LabBurnout #GradSchoolLife #Science