The bell I must follow to class down the hall 

The directions I must follow so I do not lose my way

The schedule I must follow so I meet state requirements 

The teacher I must follow to complete my assignment

The template I must follow to suppress individuality

The powerpoint I must follow to fill in the blanks 

The conselor I must follow as she asks about college 

The guidance I must follow if my future is to have any hope

The application I must follow to appease the opinions of others

The stress I must follow so I do not fall behind 

Why must I follow? Do my feelings and opinions matter? 

A toxic mentality

A one size fits all approach

An abandonement of creativity

A loss of innoncence 

A lurking sense of inadequacy 

All coupled by depressive thoughts 

It took time to recognize that there is more to life than success

It is common to feel trapped in the game of pride or dissapointment

Now I understand that growing up means growing stronger

Standing up for myself and my mental health

Happiness matters most