I Memorized the Chart. Forgot Myself.
I used to stare at the psychrometric chart until the lines blurred. I could trace the axes in my sleep—dry bulb, humidity ratio, saturation curve. I learned to find answers with a ruler, to make sense of vapor pressure and enthalpy, to plot points and draw conclusions.
But somewhere between the lines, I lost track of what any of it meant. Not just the air, but me. Every assignment was another measurement—another proof that I could keep up, that I belonged here. I thought if I got it all right, the pressure would let up. It didn’t.
The night before the final, I caught myself reciting definitions instead of sleeping. I kept thinking: if I can just get two knowns, I can solve for everything else. But what if the thing I’m missing isn’t on the chart? What if I’m the variable that doesn’t fit?
#AcademicBurnout #STEMStruggles #NotJustGrades #Education
