The Girl Who Lived… Is it true that only higher-ranked human beings can touch the crystal of a secure and stress-free life? I was 16 years old when I almost ended my life by cutting my wrist. I was a victim of relentless cruelty by a teacher during my time in the high school year in my home country. In the halls of my high school, he stripped away my self-worth, beating me, teasing me, and subjecting me to relentless shame. I carried the weight of his insults all by myself and was trapped in a system where the teacher's induced torment was dismissed and ignored by everyone. Nightmares were my constant companion, and fear gripped me every time his presence was near. Suicide became a chilling escape, a desperate attempt to flee from the tormentor. I suffered in isolation, silenced by the disbelief that would shroud my truth, and my pleas were unheard. Even though my parents said they would complain to the principal, I was too terrified since who listens to a low-ranking student like me? I thought I would get insulted instead and his ( teacher) torture would become unbearable. In 2019, I came to the USA for a better life and to feel secure because I didn’t have to see that teacher anymore. It was a haven from the tormentor but not from the lingering nightmares that haunted my sleep. During my time in the United States, the language barrier left me unable to find a friend. As COVID hit, I started having unbearable nightmares again. Instead, I ignored my situation and tried my best to prepare for college. Loneliness and language barriers haunted my high school days here, leaving me a silent observer, which made me incapable of making friends after the lockdown. So, I started chitchatting with my old friends back in my homeland on social media to feel less lonely. Yet, the scars of old wounds resurfaced as I shared my joyous acceptance into Stony Brook University with those I once called friends. I was thrilled and excited and always told them what I would do when I started going to college. The happiness I once felt soured as jealousy replaced friendship. The comfort of familiarity turned toxic, leaving me with a deep sense of separateness. They started bullying me, body-shaming me, and teasing me to become more womanly. I started feeling insecure and scared to look at my face because I thought unappealing. They mocked my dreams, criticized my intellect, and cast me as an outsider, telling me that if I were in Bangladesh, I would never get into any university, so I was lucky enough to come to the United States. Their words cut deep, inflicting wounds on my self-esteem and reviving the specter of unwanted thoughts. As I started college, I carried the emotional baggage of my past. The facade of recovery shattered, revealing the depths of my insecurities. Suicidal thoughts returned, accompanied by chronic pain and a paralyzing depression that kept me from attending classes. Physical disorders manifested as my mental suffering intensified. I was getting sick day by day, and later found out I was diagnosed with ADHD, Major Depressive Disorder, General Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, Fibromyalgia, and rheumatic fever. The journey to recovery turned into a curse. I experienced headaches and memory loss, along with fever and diarrhea. I was hospitalized on August 22, 2023, with extreme chronic pain all over my body, a high fever, extreme neck pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. I was diagnosed with vasculitis, skin lesions, and erythema nodosum—a litany of diagnoses that mirrored the pain etched within me. After the infection, life turned upside down. But I never gave up. Thankfully, I am much better now, prioritizing my mental well-being with the support of professionals and a newfound commitment to my mental health. Surprisingly, I have developed an interest in politics, which I always found boring before. Now, I want to learn more and more about it. I have been interested in technology since third grade when I got my first Asus Windows 7 laptop. I spent most of my childhood on that device. Even in my school textbooks, my favorite topics were Artificial Intelligence and technology, and how it will change the future. In fifth grade, I wanted to be a scientist to change my parents' and relative’s perspectives on women's empowerment in the Brown people community. I wanted to be the first woman in my family to make a difference. By eighth grade, I aspired to become an astronaut. During my middle school year in my home country, we had two majors: Science and Business. I went against my parent’s wish, advising me it would be hard for me to study science. But for the first time, I didn’t listen to anyone, I had a little hope in the corner of my heart to become an astronaut. I battled through every obstacle and ignored the negativity. I wanted to make a change. Additionally, I am writing a research paper on ADHD and planning to publish it soon. I love taking on challenges. These challenges are personal—it's always me versus me. I don’t like being seen as a competitor by others. One of my therapists told me, "Everything works out by itself; you don’t have to overthink everything to make a decision." Is that true? Some say our problems are temporary, but how do I fix them and avoid repeating them? How do I ensure they won’t affect me much in the future? How am I going to face these problems? To survive in this world, I have to fight with every ranked human being and become the survivor who lived. I believe that despite all the challenges I have faced, I am determined to make a difference. I am committed to my education and my future. I am ready to take on any challenge and prove that I can succeed, not just for myself, but for others who have faced similar struggles.