The Dartmouth Radical
THE DARTMOUTH RADICAL
For we can bring to birth a new world from the ashes of the old
I was catching up on homework one day at the JMC (Jones Media Center, above First Floor Berry, for the newbies) when I was randomly hit with the inspiration to write this poem. I have been struggling academically for a while and when I feel down, my friends help reassure me that everything will be ok. I wrote this as a way to tell people that they do not have to be “perfect”—and that is ok. You’re here for a reason. And you’ll make the Dartmouth experience your own. Funnily enough, I was diagnosed with ADHD during finals period, which explains this poem a little bit more. I just want to remind people that everything will be fine.
I have never heard more comforting words than when a friend tells me, "it's ok."
That "everything will be fine."
I can have an overdue midterm by a week, two essays coming up, three missing assignments,
But you know what
It's ok.
Because academia is not the whole world
It's not even the real world.
Because we live in the real world
And it's not confined by four thin ass walls with mildew growing inside.
It's our families, friends, our communities.
Because they've always been there, and they will never throw me away just because I failed a class
And I will never throw them away.
They'll tell me, "it's ok."
And that tomorrow is a new day.
And at that moment
Hearing those words leaving the mouth of those I care about the most.
I'll feel loved (because I'm not alone)
And nothing beats that feeling,
feeling loved
Because I Am loved
I am loved because I am Me
Even if it takes me until tomorrow to truly understand that
No matter what may be the problem but having someone, anyone, tell me that despite what I'm going through, everything will be fine,
will make me feel safe
Because at the end of the day, no matter how corny it may sound, there's always tomorrow
Tomorrow is a new day.
It may be a bad day, and that's ok.
There are only 24 hours in a day, and the next 24 are a hopeful mystery that you get to experience.
Or
Tomorrow
may be a fantastic day, and that's great
And I hope when you have those amazing days, that you hold onto that feeling because who knows when you'll feel that again, but you'll know that it's possible.
Possible to be happy
And that's beautiful.
Because tomorrow is a new day
And
The future may be scary, but there's always
A new chance to be happy
The Dartmouth Radical