✒️:. Karamat Qayoom
Molo Shopian | Class 12th Student
Hey, can we just talk for a minute? Because wow, sometimes life feels like running a marathon… except nobody told us it was happening, and there’s no finish line in sight.
There are days when I wake up already behind—like, I haven’t even brushed my teeth and somehow I’m late for life. Teachers want assignments done. Parents want us to be “set up” for the future. Friends want to hang out and talk. And social media? Don’t even get me started. Sometimes it looks like everyone I know is out there winning at life while I’m just trying to survive a Monday.
Honestly? I get it. Deep down, there’s this feeling that we need to be everything all at once—smart, chill, talented, always “on.” I’ve tried to live up to those expectations. I’ve tried to be perfect. Spoiler: it nearly broke me.
Here’s what we never post online: the moments when we feel small, tired, anxious, or just done. The truth is, nobody’s highlight reel is real life. No one’s.
You know what I’ve figured out (slowly, painfully)? It’s okay to drop the act. It’s okay to admit we’re tired, say “no,” and just breathe. Mistakes? We’re supposed to make them. If we weren’t, we’d never learn a thing.
We don’t have to have it all figured out. We don’t have to look perfect, feel perfect, succeed at everything, or smile when we don’t mean it. We just have to be us—awkward, messy, learning, trying. That’s actually pretty brave when you think about it.
So next time you feel like you’re falling behind, pause for a second. Remind yourself that everyone else is figuring it out too—even the ones who seem like they’ve “made it.” Let’s promise to go easier on ourselves, laugh at our own chaos, and remember: being real is way better than being perfect.
We’re all in this together. And honestly? That’s what matters.
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