Imagination Wasn’t Enough

I used to think imagination could save me. Teachers said it was a superpower—just close your eyes, picture a solution, and the world opens up. I tried. I really did. I sat in silent rooms, staring at blank pages, telling myself to think outside the box. But the box was always there: deadlines, grades, the constant hum of not being good enough. Every group project, every brainstorming session, I felt like I was faking it. My ideas never sounded as smart out loud as they did in my head. I’d go home and replay every word, every awkward silence, wondering if I was just slow or if everyone else was pretending too. They say to challenge assumptions, but what if the biggest assumption is that you’re supposed to be creative on command? What if the real problem is you’re just tired—so tired you can’t even daydream anymore? I tried all the tricks: freewriting, mind maps, even sitting in the dark hoping for inspiration. Mostly, I just felt stuck. Like I was failing at something everyone else found easy. Imagination was supposed to be an escape. For me, it became another thing I couldn’t get right. #Education #AcademicBurnout #Perfectionism