the corner of my bed next to my pink unicorn squishmallow

i sink into the dark gray sheets and begin to breathe again. it has been so long since i have truly been able to breathe. the world we live in pressures us into taking on too many courses and too much schoolwork, and expects us to work every day of the week on top of that. i wonder if there was ever a time of true peace in society. or if rushing out of starbucks and stumbling in the doorway of our offices or classrooms has been our destiny all along. i remember the first time i sat down in this corner and turned on my tv to watch my babysitter’s a vampire. i felt like i was living in peace again. i hugged my pink unicorn squishmallow and took that deep breath in, letting the freedom and serenity seep into my soul for the first time in years. when we graduate in seven months we’ll be happy that the stresses and pressure of academics are behind us. only then will we realize that we are destined only to enter not a lecture hall but an office building that will push us down into that dark abyss of being a human in america. destined to work ourselves to death. long past the point of relaxation as a common occurrence. stress is inevitable within our world. never a day where you will not be busy. always drowning in the tank of work. it reaches all the way above your nose and prevents you from breathing. so cherish these moments. cherish the times when you can sink into your sheets and hug your squishmallow or pillow. cherish the times that you can watch the show you used to love when you were eleven years old. cherish these fleeting and rare moments of peace. the moments where you are finally able to breathe.

About the Author

Emily Wingfield is a senior at Arcadia studying History with an expected B.A. in 2022. When she's not having stress breakdowns about her senior thesis, Emily can either be found watching movies, walking her dog, or writing poetry. Poetry is one of the most important things in Emily's life. It provides a space for her to confront her deepest and darkest feelings and desires, processing the emotions that often scare her. Recently, Emily published her debut chapbook "barely there, surviving" in May of 2021. To order a copy of this chapbook reach out to Emily on Instagram @_emilywingfield. :)