WHERE THE KID GOES BY JACK ANDERSON

An outgoing, creative kid running down the street, making friends with everyone he sees along the way. Where did that kid go? Whether due to anxiety, pessimism, overall self-awareness, or a combination of the three; I am a shell of the person I once was. Some weaknesses have improved, and some skills have diminished, but who I am now looks nothing like the kid I used to be. My voice of judgement grows every day, and the consciousness of society echoes continuously in my head. Wasn’t college supposed to be that place where one can truly be him or herself, truly have a voice, and become comfortable with who he or she is becoming. Well for me, it hasn’t gone that way.

It’s not over yet. I can reroute this downward trajectory. Consciousness is all I need. Knowing when my creativity is being brought down and working against it. Not allowing the voice of judgment to take over. All I need to do is try. Not care about failure or the perceived opinions of the public. All I need to do is be me. I can get back to being the kid I once was. It’s all up to me to determine where this kid goes.