Expectations

Be someone worthy of being loved, But don’t show too much affection Share your feelings with others, But never have a breakdown in public Adapt to fit the environment around you, But don’t change who you are Eat fast food and treat yourself to desserts, But still have a nice, toned body Put all your effort into maintaining high grades, But still manage to get 7-8 hours of sleep Go along with the Covid-19 restrictions… Even though you disagree with quite a few of them Keep yourself in a good mental state over the pandemic, But don’t dare break the restrictions to go see friends and family Express your beliefs, But do not overstep and show too much passion towards your beliefs It’s okay not to be in a relationship, But don’t look lonely Have good posture, But don’t try too hard and don’t look over-confident Be successful and be happy, But don’t be too happy Express yourself by the way that you dress, But don’t wear colours that don’t fit your complexion Trust those around you, But don’t overshare about your life Become an influencer on social media and gain followers, But edit your photos if you don’t look curvy enough in them Don’t walk alone at night if you’re a girl… But feel free to walk alone if you’re a guy These are some of the unreasonable expectations that we face as a society That subconsciously have such a huge effect on our mental health *Inspired by “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid