I Did Everything Right. Still Fell Behind.

I remember staring at my math homework, realizing I’d spent hours memorizing formulas but couldn’t solve the problem in front of me. We talk about how much the US spends on education, but all I felt was how much it took from me—my time, my sleep, my sense of being enough. They say students in Singapore are years ahead. Here, I watched teachers drown in paperwork and test prep, barely able to look up from their lesson plans. I kept thinking: if I just worked harder, maybe I’d finally feel smart. But every grade felt emptier than the last. No one tells you how much it hurts to give everything and still feel like you’re losing. I’m tired of pretending I’m not. #AcademicBurnout #NotJustGrades #EducationReality #Education