April 25, 2025
by Noah James Whitaker

I used to actually care about school. I was a solid student, proud of my 3.8 GPA. I believed that if I just worked hard enough, kept my head down, and stayed focused, things would turn out alright.

Then group projects happened.

Over and over, I got stuck carrying teams full of people who didn’t give a damn. I gave everything, they gave nothing — and somehow, I was the one burning out. I ended up taking a semester off, thinking I just needed a break to reset.

But now, here I am, with finals tomorrow and it feels like I’ve learned absolutely nothing this semester. I’m just floating through, numb, trying not to drown in all the regret and frustration.

The worst part? The people around me. My university friend group turned out to be nothing but a bunch of selfish backstabbers, only looking out for themselves while pretending to be tight. It’s all fake smiles and shit-talking the second you leave the room.

And my so-called friends outside of school? Just empty connections. People I used to laugh with, but now can’t even have a real conversation with. I don’t have anyone I can actually trust. Not a single person I can open up to without feeling like I’m being judged or forgotten.

It’s lonely. It’s exhausting. And honestly, I’m scared for what’s next if I keep feeling this hollow.