Hello!

I know that probably everyone has faced some kind of problem during university, but I’m going through one of the hardest moments of my life (and I’ve been through quite a few… but this one is making me lose faith in everything).

Due to mental health struggles and other serious challenges I faced this academic year (2024/2025), I will have to repeat the final year of my Master’s degree. Since this is the second time I’m doing this year, tuition fees, accommodation, travel to my internship, food, and all other expenses will now fall entirely on me, without any support from scholarships or other means. Unfortunately, my family - my mother, sister, and grandmother (my father abandoned us when we were children) - are also going through extreme difficulties due to my long-term health problems, including anorexia nervosa, borderline personality disorder, depression, among others.

The truth is that, apart from tuition fees and study materials, we also have to cover my daily medication (around €70/month) + 🆘 meds, ongoing medical treatments + almost weekly hospital visits, a place to live as close as possible to the university, and worst of all, transport to the internship. The internship is unpaid, and public transport is not a reliable option due to the way placements are randomly assigned (I could even end up in a remote rural area). Because of this, I often need to rely on Uber to make sure I don’t miss work, which adds a heavy financial burden.

I’ve done everything I can to keep going. Earlier this year, before the internship, I would call the health emergency hotline almost every day due to panic attacks. But the truth is, I’m exhausted - emotionally, physically, and financially. I don’t want to give up on my studies or my future, but I can’t do it alone. And I don’t want to keep being a burden. I wish I could work, but in my current condition, that would only make things worse and lead me to burnout again, as it already has in the past.

• About me

My name is R.M., I’m from Portugal. I’m a translator (all pairs:English, German, Portuguese, and Spanish) and a teacher of Portuguese/Portuguese as a second language, Spanish, and English. Right now, I’m going through a very difficult period of my life, and no, being “only 25 years old” doesn’t mean I know nothing about life because being young or old means nothing. Really. And unfortunately...

I’m deeply passionate about emotional education, positive discipline, and psychosocial intervention, but this has made me something of a “black sheep” because I went against traditional teaching methods.

If all goes well and I finish my Master’s, maybe one day you’ll hear about me and finally know the face behind this stressed collegue girl/teacher!

• Since I want to be kind of anonymous because I'm ashamed of myself, my contacts at the moment are

Fundraising page – Text is in Portuguese but is about my life, basically the same.

Email: 2help00me@gmail.com

If you could help in any way, whether with a donation or by sharing my story, it would mean the world to me. Every contribution, no matter how small it may seem to you, is one step closer for me to finish my degree and give meaning to my own life.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I wish you all the very best! One day I will give back, I truly believe I will. 

Everyone is always making fun of me because I believe there are still good people, but I know I'm not wrong. 

With all my love, wishing you health and success.

If you ever need anything, feel free to send me an email. Even if it's just to talk about random things. I like to talk, I'm Portuguese afterall 😋