I Failed the Vertical Line Test (and Myself)

I used to think school was about finding the right answer. Memorize the rules, fill in the blanks, check the boxes. Like, if you can tell which relation is a function, you’re doing it right. But somewhere between the tables and the graphs, I started seeing myself in the questions. Inputs and outputs. If you give the right input, you get the right output. If you don’t, you’re wrong. Simple. Except it never felt simple. I’d stare at the ordered pairs, terrified of missing something obvious. One input, two outputs? Not a function. One mistake, two consequences: the grade and the way I’d beat myself up for days. I remember failing a quiz on this. My hand shook so hard I could barely draw the vertical line. The teacher said, “It’s easy. Just check if the line hits two points.” But I couldn’t see past the panic. All I saw was proof that I didn’t belong here, that I was the wrong answer. I still flinch when I hear the word “function.” Like I’m supposed to be one, too. Like I’m only allowed one output, and it better be perfect. #Education #AcademicBurnout #GPAAnxiety