I don’t know how to say this without sounding dramatic, but I’m genuinely not okay.

I’ve been trying so hard at work—giving 100%, sometimes more. But no matter what I do, if I make even the smallest mistake, it feels like everything I’ve done gets overshadowed by that one slip. It’s exhausting.

I watch other interns learning from their managers who sit right beside them, guiding them patiently. But me? I’m often left alone to figure it all out. And when I mess up, even slightly, it reflects on my performance as if I’ve done nothing right at all.

And I ask myself—why does this feel so hard? Why does it feel like I’m constantly walking on eggshells?

Because even a small lunch feels like too much effort, and your body just doesn’t feel like yours anymore. Because you’re constantly putting on a strong face when inside, you’re just… tired.

I’ve always been that overachiever—the class topper, the confident one, the leader, the cheerful one who was everywhere, doing everything. But in this new world of internships and adulting, I feel like I’ve lost her. She’s still somewhere in me, I know—but she’s quieter now, buried under fatigue and self-doubt.

What hurts most is not being noticed. Not in a “give me attention” way. But in a “do I matter?” kind of way. When seniors ignore you, when people around you just assume you’re okay without asking, it chips away at you. Bit by bit. And you start questioning everything about yourself.

I miss feeling proud of myself. I miss feeling beautiful. I miss being seen. I miss having someone say—‘You’re doing okay. Just breathe.’

Every day, I wake up dreading how I’ll get through work. I feel anxious, guilty, and completely burnt out. My health is suffering. My mind is tired. I don’t feel proud of myself anymore. And I hate that I’ve started to hate myself for it.

I’m not writing this for sympathy. I’m writing this because I genuinely don’t know what to do anymore. I’m doing everything I can—but it’s starting to feel like it’s never enough.

If anyone has ever felt this way… how did you make it through?

Because I really, really need to know.

— A tired intern trying to hold it together.