My backpack is heavier than it looks,
not because of books
but because of expectations folded between pages.
Deadlines stack like bricks,
tests whisper prove yourself
and the clock never slows down
even when my brain begs it to.
I’m tired of being measured in grades,
of pretending I’m fine when I’m not,
of learning how to survive
instead of learning how to breathe.
Still, I show up.
And some days,
that’s more than enough.
Kids Help Phone (KHP) is honoured to share creative content submitted by youth from coast to coast to coast as they Feel Out Loud with us. We thank the Feel Out Loud Community Creator of this piece for their contribution to youth mental health and well-being in Canada. For more information on the Feel Out Loud Community Creator Space and / or how you can submit your own creative content for possible publication, you can visit the submission page.
