Until the age of 7, my life was pretty normal. I had a beautiful vibrant family. My mother was a lovely stay-at-home Mom and my father was a Navy pilot and we traveled all over the country. I felt loved, cared for, and safe. Somewhere along the line though, my family started to fall apart.

The only thing I could remember 11:59 that’s when your assignments are due 11:59 becomes one of the most important things in life a time defines whether you lose or win in life.

You’re worth it.

Anyone with depression knows isolation can be your best friend and your worst enemy.

He didn’t even realize that he had informed us to do a PowerPoint. He had no clue what he was doing.

College has been shoved down my throat since pre-k I know no other option. Now that I’m here,  I hate it.

I’m supposed to be the one that should be able to do things myself but when I’m stumped, where do I go?

I’m starting to lose time, and a whole day will pass without me being present.

Any time I try to go do something for myself, or even just go grocery shopping, my heart rate goes up and I start to get really nervous and feel sick to my stomach because all I can think of is, “I’m losing time and I’m not going to finish my work in time for class.”

After we were told that we were not coming back from spring break I thought to myself, “well I guess I’ll just have to wait until August to hang out with my friends again.” Boy was I wrong.

I don’t have any friends on campus, I have no roommate, and if someone isn’t in a group of friends they kinda just stay away from everyone.

I feel like everyone from my hometown is doing better than I ever could, thriving without me in mind. I miss them, but I feel like I’m never on their mind, no one reaches out.

I’m not really learning, just making sure that I’m getting everything turned in by 11:59pm.

Geology is HARD when it’s not in person, a lab is HARD when it is not in person. The learning curve has been huge and there are days I feel like I will never make it.

I am normally a strong and confident individual. Lately, I cry at least once a day.

I have everything ready but I’m so afraid to start.

Often being a black 6’3″ man in America I must be overly aware of my surroundings and unfortunately account for other people’s biases while simply trying to live my God given life.

Although everything in my life is going in the direction I want it to, I feel like something is missing.

Not being able to talk with and BE WITH people hurt emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

We always talk about our future together and how we hope to get married. It used to make me so happy. But Lately, it feels like things are going downhill.

I try so hard to be the best I can possibly be.

No one seems able to help me. They say they want to help, but when I ask for help I get crickets.

I finally moved out of my moms. I now live at my dads and it wasn’t an easy move. My mom provided me with enough anxiety to last a life time.

Today when I arrived for on campus I noticed lawn chairs grouped together on the Student Union lawn.

I started school back in January for the first time in almost 11 years. I am 37 years old and a non traditional student.

Where did this numbness suddenly come from?

It’s a ghost town here.

I don’t know what to do. I’m scared and I don’t know what to trust him on.

My pet rabbit died a month ago. I raised him from a baby and he was with me for 10 years, over half my life.

While I thought that I would be able to enjoy some parts of this semester, it has honestly been the hardest semester of Grad school and of my academic career.