No-Narwhal-234's journey

I started my job as an animal tech working with rodents today, and I was initially confident since I had some experience handling mice before. The role mainly involved cleaning cages and monitoring the mice for any health issues. However, things took a turn when I was transferring a mouse from one cage to another. The mouse clung to the top of the cage and wouldn't let go, which caused me to panic. I managed to get it into the clean cage but this happened three more times, and I found myself alone in a room full of mice, which heightened my anxiety. After lunch, I returned to the task feeling hopeful, but when I encountered two mice in a cage, I successfully transferred one but panicked when the second one got stuck. I had a panic attack and ran out of the room looking for help, but no one was around. The thought of the mouse escaping made it even scarier. I eventually managed to move the mouse, but the experience was overwhelming. I realized that while I can handle mice under supervision, I can't do it alone. I spoke with my supervisor after my panic attack, and they were understanding when I told them I couldn't continue in this role long-term. I feel a bit pathetic for not being able to handle it and for quitting so quickly, especially since this job was arranged through my university, and I'm worried my head of department might find out I didn't last even a day.