From Panic to Graduation

I failed three exams in one week because I thought powering through anxiety made me

stronger. Ignoring panic attacks while cramming at 3 am was not the flex

I thought it was. The turning point came when my roommate found me

hyperventilating in the library bathroom. She taught me 5-4-3-2-1. Five you see,

four touch, three hear, two smell, one taste. I started studying

in 25 minute blocks instead of marathon sessions. My grades improved. I expected judgment

at counseling but found a waitlist of students just like me. Asking for help

did not make me weak. It made me graduate.