With newfound determination and the support of my family, I took the first step towards rebuilding my life. I secured a job at a small fast-food store, an unassuming beginning to what I hoped would be a brighter future. It wasn't a glamorous or high-paying job, but it was a step towards self-reliance and a way to alleviate the financial burden on my family.

The days were long, filled with the sizzle of frying pans and the constant hustle of customers. I donned the uniform with pride, knowing that every burger I flipped and every order I took brought me one step closer to a sense of purpose and independence.

The work was demanding, but it provided a sense of structure and a modest income. It was a far cry from the world of academia, but it was a world where I felt I could make a difference, no matter how small.

As I handed over bags of fast food to tired, hungry customers, I couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope rekindling within me. The labyrinth of despair that had once confined me was slowly receding, and I was stepping onto a path of self-discovery and resilience.

The Hourglass Theory, with its rigid class divisions, no longer loomed over me as an insurmountable obstacle. I had found a foothold in the world and was determined to ascend, one step at a time. My journey was far from over, but for the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of optimism, a belief that there was more to life than the constraints of society's labels.