16.67%. That was the grade I got on my second differential equations midterm, which was handed back earlier today during my professor’s office hours. Upon realizing that I got a less-than-stellar 6 out of 36 points on this last test, I felt entirely defeated. I proceeded to call my mom and talk to her candidly about how I felt, in the sense that I believed I was going to fail math. Then I went home and slept for several long hours, in an effort to hide from my failure. Quite naive of me, may I add.
However, upon waking, I had an ephemeral but widely important conversation with my trusting roommate. A couple months younger than I, my roommate is wise beyond his years; a true old-soul millennial. Upon listening to his advice and thinking about my eventual plan for the next week (in preparation for finals), I felt a sudden resurgence of self. It felt outstanding and completely overshadowed the effects academic burnout had been having over me for the last couple of weeks.
The final catalyst in getting me out of my weeks-long emotional funk was a long call with my dad. Always a pragmatist and a true inspiration in my life, my dad’s advice and perspective means a whole helluva lot to me. Thus, through his reassurances that he “has faith in me” and that “I will get through this quarter”, I felt emotionally anew.
What a splendid, entirely exhilarating feeling to have after days of feeling like utter shit.
And the branches will follow. Just be willing to extend out…
Up the Down Turn 
I taught university for, wow, half my life. There is a point in almost every student’s trajectory where he/she burns out. Of course, when I told my (sophomore/junior) students this, they often rejected this as an unfair generalization. The average post-adolescent loves the belief that he/she is completely unique. But I saw it (and experienced it) too often not to see that it is a real thing. Sometimes it means, “Bail from this, you hate it,” and sometimes it means, “Hang on. It’s just a phase.” That part is individual. It’s a turning point, I believe both biologically (the brain is nearly mature) and in less tangible ways (spirit? emotion? identity?). You might like reading Erik Erikson’s book, “Identity, Youth and Crisis” if you haven’t already. Very informative work of psychological insight.
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