When students ask for a pencil…
I used to keep a stash of pencils in my bag, just in case someone forgot theirs. It made me feel useful, like I could help. But the truth is, I was the one who needed help—more than I’d ever admit out loud.
Every time someone asked, I’d hand one over and smile, but inside I was thinking about the assignments piling up, the debt I was pretending didn’t exist, the way my hands shook before every test. I’d watch people borrow my pencils and laugh with their friends, and I’d wonder how they made it look so easy. I felt like I was drowning in expectations—mine, my family’s, everyone’s.
Some days, I’d run out of pencils. I’d sit there, empty-handed, and realize I had nothing left to give—not even to myself.
#AcademicPressure #BurnoutConfessions #CollegeReality #Education
