The next day, as she reached for the handrail a thought suddenly crossed her mind...

How many people have touched this today?

She knew germs were a normal part of the world, but the thought left her feeling uneasy. For the first time, she found herself wondering if even the simplest things around campus were safe to touch.

How many people have touched this table today? what if there are germs on these chairs? what if everything around me is contaminated? 

Juno wanted to enjoy lunch with her friends, but she couldn't stop thinking about the germs surrounding her

After lunch, Juno headed to the restroom. She couldn't shake the feeling that her hands had come into contact with germs. 

She washed them hoping the uncomfortable feeling would finally go away. 

But even after washing, the worry returned.

My hands don't feel clean, did I wash them well enough? 

Over the next few days, Juno felt the need to wash her hands after almost everything she touched. 

Even after washing, she often worried they weren't clean enough and felt she had to wash them again. 

Soon her repeated hand washing made her late to class, and it started to take time away from her friends. 

Why can't I just stop worrying about this? 

By now, Juno's friends had started noticing that she was often late or diasppeared during the day. 

Juno are you ok? 

...i'm fine

Juno hesitated before answering, she didn't know how to explain the constant worries running through her mind

Deep down, she knew something wasn'r right. 

That evening she sat in her room thinking about everything that had been hapeening. 

She was tired of the constant worries and repeated handwashing. She wondered why something that seemed so simple for everyone was so difficult for her

After doing some research, she came across information about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). 

For the first time, Juno was considered reaching out for help. 

The next day, Juno visited her college counseling center. She explained her constant contamination worries, repeated handwashing, and how they were affecting her daily life. 

The counselor listened and discussed getting her a professinal evaluation to better understand her symptoms. 

For the first time, Juno felt like she didnt have to face everything alone