Jasmine's forehead glistened with perspiration as she stared intently at the exam paper. The formulas and equations melded into an indecipherable blur. Her mind resembled a tightly coiled spring nearing its breaking point.
She couldn't breathe. An overwhelming sense of entrapment enveloped her, the boundaries of the environment seeming to constrict inward. Jasmine's vision started to dim at the edges. Not again. She tried to push past the rising panic but the voices in her head grew louder.
You're not smart enough for this.
You'll never get it.
Just give up already.
Jasmine clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug crescent moons into her palms. She had to get it together. Flunking another test wasn't an option if she wanted to stay in the engineering program.
Deep breaths. The room felt increasingly confining, as if the very space around her was shrinking.
The clock's incessant ticking echoed through the deathly quiet room. Jasmine spotted a few classmates already standing to turn in their exams while she remained paralyzed. Doubt squeezed her chest like a vise. A harsh screech of chair legs against tile made her flinch.
Mark Hughes - the arrogant star pupil who lived to make her life miserable - shot her a disdainful look as he sauntered past her desk. She averted her eyes but his snide whisper still reached her ears.
"It may be better for you to reconsider this program, Jasmine."
White-hot anger flashed through her. He always did love kicking her while she was down. Jasmine opened her mouth to hurl a biting retort but her voice caught in her throat. Pathetic. She couldn't even muster the courage to defend herself.
The words continued ricocheting through her mind long after he walked out. You're. Not. Good. Enough.
Jasmine's pencil clattered to the floor.
"The extreme expectations you set are becoming unhealthy," said Professor Hendricks.
Jasmine remained silent as Professor Hendricks slid into the chair across from her. She stared past the concerned woman into the campus quad visible through the window. A stray maple leaf drifted lazily by on the breeze.
"Striving for perfection is an unrealistic standard," the professor's kind eyes crinkled at the corners. "Especially for someone as naturally talented and hardworking as you."
Jasmine snorted derisively. The professor must have her confused with someone else.
"I absolutely mean what I'm saying," Professor Hendricks leaned forward. "You are one of the most impressive students I've ever had the pleasure of teaching. Your raw talent and keen insights during discussions are remarkable. Yes your exam scores could use some work but that's not the whole picture."
Warmth tinged Jasmine's cheeks at the unexpected praise. Nobody had spoken so highly of her abilities before. Still the nasty voice refused to be silent.
That's just her trying to make me feel better...
"You know the core issue holding you back?" Professor Hendricks asked. "Your self-doubt and insecurities spiral out of control. You overthink everything far too much."
Those words struck a chord deep within Jasmine. She knew the professor was right. All her struggles stemmed from her own conviction she wasn't good enough...smart enough...strong enough. Not just for this program but to achieve any kind of success.
As the instructor prepared to depart, she offered a parting thought: "If you can manage to silence those self-doubting voices and develop genuine self-belief..." She momentarily paused, hand resting on the doorknob. "Your potential knows no limits."
Jasmine walked onto the quad with a newfound determination burning inside her. The warm spring air held predictions of coming renewal. She looked around at the laughing groups of students...the happy couple snuggled together on a bench...even the squirrels scampering underfoot. All that joy and freedom lived on this campus and she kept missing it.
Not anymore. The professor's pep talk had planted a seed that was finally taking root. Learning to silence her brutal inner critic wouldn't be easy but she owed it to herself to try. Her dreams and ambitions mattered and she couldn't keep letting her fears and insecurities sabotage everything she'd worked so hard for.
Jasmine clenched her fist and smiled as the fiery determination surged brighter. Watch out world - she was just getting started.
Deep, even breaths calmed her racing heart as she approached the bench where Mark and his sycophantic friends held court each day. Time to stop letting that pompous bully grind her self-confidence into dust every chance he got.
She cleared her throat loudly until all eyes turned toward her. Mark furrowed his brow in contempt when she met his gaze without flinching.
"Hughes, I have far superior innate talents than you could ever imagine," she declared assertively. "The key difference is that I secured my spot here through sheer ability, not by having my family purchase my admission."
Fire roared to life in Mark's eyes but Jasmine held her ground riding the thrill of standing up for herself. His jaw twitched as they stared each other down in a battle of wills.
Finally a single word slipped through his clenched teeth. "Whatever."
Jasmine didn't wait for him to regroup and launch another withering salvo. She spun on her heel and marched away - head held high and a euphoric grin spreading across her face.
The old Jasmine wouldn't have had the courage to pull a stunt like that. But emboldened by Professor Hendricks' belief in her abilities the new self-assured Jasmine reveled in her newfound strength. Screw Mark Hughes and anyone else who tried tearing her down. They couldn't dim her light anymore.
From this day forward she would soar.