Academia is a highly competitive battleground like no other. It is costly, not only financially, but also emotionally, riddled with rigorous long-term pressures in isolation. With the added pressures of employment and motherhood, life can become incredibly challenging, wholly incompatible with mental health. Unsurprisingly, not everyone thrives in this arena as evident in the high attrition rates. In fact, I have questioned my own progress many times along the way. So far, I have found that it is also a battle with oneself: the ability to endure, to persevere, and to remain resilient.    

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