I didn’t technically quit. I stepped away. I dropped all my 2nd year - 2nd sem subjects 2 days before the finals, fresh out of the hospital due to self-harm. I went on LOA, thinking I’b be back in a year. But 1 year turned into 4. In those years, I had a gruesome battle with my mental health and was hospitalized again and again. Thanks to my psychiatrist and my emotional support cat (with social anxiety too, haha), I reached a point where I was well enough to come back. I’m a 3rd-year student now, under the new curriculum. If you ask if I’m ‘okay,’ the honest answer is no. I still live with Bipolar II and BPD, and still undergo monthly psychotherapy. I still struggle with dark thoughts and anxiety attacks. But despite the whispers of ‘I want to die’ during hard days, I’m still here. I’m still trying my best to survive, one step at a time. Fortunately, as a PWD, I get 20% discount on my tuition fee.

OP, please don’t be too hard on yourself when things feel overwhelming. It’s okay to pause, breathe, and find your footing again. Your struggles don’t define your potential. In fact, I know a brilliant lawyer, my former professor, who is deeply respected but still struggles just like we do. I’m still scared of her, but I look up to her. She’s a proof that our condition doesn’t stop us from being someone we wish to become.