The pieces in this stage are made from resin and 3D printing. Ring-shaped, but irregular—not complete circles, distorted and uneven.

I kept asking myself: when people are under pressure, far from home, surrounded by constant change, why is the first reaction to pull back rather than to heal? As an international student, adapting to a new environment is genuinely hard. The language, the culture, the daily rhythm—all need to be relearned. Academic pressure works differently from back home; assignments, grading criteria, writing and presenting in a foreign language—sometimes my brain just freezes. Emotions go up and down, and sometimes I suddenly feel low without knowing why. That discomfort didn’t turn into comfort immediately; I pulled back first.
But I slowly realized this withdrawal isn’t just my reaction. Many people, when facing pressure or unfamiliar environments, instinctively wrap themselves up first. This isn’t weakness, or lacking something—it’s self-protection. These distorted rings are my understanding of this stage. They look unstable, incomplete, visibly interrupted. They don’t show an ending; they mark a starting point: you step back, wrap yourself up, try to reorder things in your head, before you can move forward.
I hope these pieces make those with similar experiences feel understood. Withdrawal isn’t shameful; it’s simply the first step in beginning to sort ourselves out.