I Ate the Gummies and Still Felt Empty

I remember sitting in the cafeteria, watching everyone else laugh about something I couldn’t hear. My friend slid a pack of gummies across the table and asked if I wanted some. I said yes, even though I wasn’t hungry—just tired. Tired in a way that sleep doesn’t fix. All semester, I did what I was supposed to. Showed up, turned in the work, kept my grades up. But every time I checked my GPA, it felt like nothing changed. I was still anxious, still waiting for someone to tell me I was enough. The gummies tasted like nothing. I chewed them slowly, wishing I could swallow the pressure, too. Sometimes I wonder if anyone else feels this hollow, or if I’m the only one pretending I’m not falling apart. #AcademicBurnout #CollegeReality #NotJustGrades #Education