The Quarter That Almost Broke Me

There are quarters that pass by with a whisper, and then there are quarters that test everything; your body, your bandwidth, your beliefs, and your why.

This most recent one?

It tested all of it. It brought me to the edge of everything; sharpened by pressure, tested my center, and stripped me down to purpose.

Two Programs, One Body

Let’s start with context.

I’m concurrently pursuing two doctoral degrees:

• A Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND)
• A Doctor of Acupuncture with a Specialization in Herbal Medicine (DAcHM)

So when finals week arrived for the DAcHM program, it was already a lot. But that was only the beginning.

At the start of this quarter, I was juggling finals week for the acupuncture program while simultaneously entering the most high-stakes academic stretch in my naturopathic medical journey to date.

The first four weeks of the ND quarter were consumed by Capstone, a cumulative course assessing everything we’ve covered in the last two years:

• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Genetics
• Microbiology

Let that settle in: two years of content, compressed into four weeks.

With a midterm in week 2.

And a final in week 4.

No pressure, right? Except that passing this Capstone course was non-negotiable; a literal gatekeeper to enter General Medicine and Pathology (GNMD), the next academic milestone. You don’t pass Capstone? You don’t move forward.

Thankfully, I passed.

But there was no moment to exhale.

Straight Into General Medicine and Pathology

No time to breathe.

Week 5 started with GNMD on a Monday morning. And the first exam was Tuesday, less than 24 hours later.

GNMD is taught by two professors, each with their own teaching style, exam format, and weekly expectations.

Which meant:

7 exams in 6 weeks, plus a cumulative final.

One week we had two GNMD exams: one on Monday, another on Wednesday.

The topic focus?

Hematology, blood disorders.

We ended the quarter with an introduction to dermatology.

All while managing the rest of my academic load:

• Physical Medicine, with hands-on lab
• Microbiology (Virology)
• And of course, regular readings, assignments, and the ever-looming final weeks.
• Field observation hours, where I shadowed an Orthopedic Spinal Surgeon
• DAcHM clinical shifts, treating patients under supervision

Shadowing a surgeon gave me clarity. It reminded me that I’m not just learning modalities; I’m discerning a philosophy. How I want to treat. Who I want to be as a doctor. Why I believe integrative medicine is the future.

Holding It All… and Still Teaching Yoga

Throughout all of this, I remained committed to my weekly yoga class, guiding others in breath, movement, and stillness, even when I felt like I had none to spare. Teaching has always been a grounding force for me, but during this quarter, it became a thread I was barely holding onto, yet unwilling to drop. It reminded me that I’m more than just a student under pressure, I’m also a teacher in service.

Fitness, Family, and Floods

I also stayed disciplined in prioritizing my fitness goals. It wasn’t about aesthetics. It was about survival, releasing what my body was holding, reclaiming power where I could.

And just when I thought my bandwidth was maxed out…

my mom’s house flooded.

A week and a half before finals.

There I was, trying to coordinate, virtually, coordinating emergency housing accommodations, contacting insurance adjusters, advocating for her health and safety, and weighing the very real possibility of relocating her to Arizona, all while managing one of the heaviest academic loads I’ve ever known.

I was in two doctoral programs. Studying medicine. Teaching yoga. Rebuilding my body. Caring for my mother. Surviving emotionally.

Trying not to fall apart.

What This Quarter Taught Me

More than anything, this quarter stripped away my illusion of superhuman strength, and replaced it with a deeper reverence for resilience, resourcefulness, and release.

I learned that:

• Pushing forward isn’t always power; It can also be survival.
• Structure and surrender must coexist.
• Even when you don’t feel like you’re doing enough, your effort is evidence of your endurance.

Holding It all

I made it.

I passed.

I endured.

I showed up for every exam.

I maintained my fitness training.

I kept showing up; for school, for my mom, and for myself.

Even when I had nothing left in reserve.

And while I don’t romanticize the hustle, I do honor the version of me who carried it all. Something in me; call it discipline, devotion, or divine will. kept me upright.

If you’re in a season that feels like it might break you,

I see you.

You're NOT weak, You're in the fire where resilience is forged.

And when you make it through, even if barely, know this:

You're enough. Your perseverance is wisdom in motion.

That’s capacity. That’s character.

And that’s the medicine we often forget we’re carrying.