When down in the dumps, smile anyway ~
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
I'm not "Always ok"
nor "Always joyous"
But I'm trying,
at times I'm not even willing to keep going on,
but I'll find the will to make a way out of here,
they say "fake it till you make it",
but it was because of high school,
I found the heart to lie with hopes and dreams,
I lied because,
I wanted to be happy,
I wanted to be free as sin,
so I had to start somewhere,
with only financial support,
my back up emotional supports gone,
walking alone with only friends and teachers,
all these lies I knew I could never be,
became the foundation for my stepping stones,
but I genuinely do fear for what's to happen if my lies crumble,
-kitsuko Dragonstar
“Fake it till you make it”
Now the world reeks of fake
And the throng who hail it
Suffer no shame or ache
For the welcome we bade it
Ostensibly for our sake
Camouflages the first who said it
And in his wake
We live and believe it
All fake, give or take
Can’t stand it, can’t shun it
Just sincerely fake
K. Muitherero
Be determined, put your game on,
take it up a notch, jazz it up.
Get into character, be your own best self.
Rewrite your destiny,
draw your path and follow it.
Be fearless and audacious.
Let your imagination run wild,
you are the hero of your life story.
Feel free to fake it till you make it.
Be bold, be grand, be awesome.
AP: 3rd place 2025, Honorable Mention 2025, Honorable Mention 2025
I say I’m fine like I’m okay
Don’t need to darken their day
They don’t need to hear about my intruding pain
It’s not like it matters anyways
They say you fake it till you make it
So I’ll put a smile on my face
I’ll pretend to be okay
I’ll try not to go insane
I’ll try to be okay
All the things I can’t erase
The memories of my mistakes
The voices that remind me I’m a disgrace
This crushing weight
Making my heart ache
All the things I wish to say
But they won’t care anyway
So instead I’m okay
They said,
"Fake it till you make it".
I faked my life,
I faked my soul,
I faked it all the being of my being.
She said,
"Just try little harder"
I tried it till I was numb,
I tried it till I was dumb,
I tried it all for the sake of trying.
He said,
"It's enough, I am done".
I was done,
Finally, done from it all.
I was done of trying,
I was done by lying,
I was done of faking,
I was done by making,
I was done by being.
You saved me, my saviour,
Your full stop,
Gave me a new beginning.
We get asked again and again what is wrong?
What nobody knows is that I do not know.
Being told that nothing is wrong if you don’t know know what is not right
Wishing only to figure out why I don't feel right
Fake it till you make it is what we're told but what if I never make it?
Hoping, praying, and pretending might not be enough so what if I never make it?
What is so wrong about falling apart into the pieces that no one seems to see?
So many questions and not enough answers as to why I am most certainly broken.
Wanting nothing but to fall apart and someone to understand why.
Being torn apart over and over, never knowing if I am okay.
I found my other half but they are just as broken as me.
We can only hide it for so long, but when we break who will put us together again.
Maybe that's why we are parts of each other, because each time we break apart, our pieces get a little mixed up.
All I want is to be good enough for someone, and I can't even be good enough for myself.
So the next time someone asks "are you okay?"
Let go and fall apart, and trust that someone will pick you up and glue you back together, even if you are completely alone.
Stupid, silly, naive lil one
Should have known that
You were gonna hear
The "I told you so"s
The "You're so stupid"s
Yeah.
So
This is what it is to have
The shield of confidence
Melted away
Into droplets
Of nothing
Keeps getting heavier
Too heavy to even stand up from your knees
Too hard to look up
When tears are clouding your vision
Too scared to try
When you feel like nothing matters anymore
Nothing you do matters
Nothing you do counts
Nothing you do works
Don't want to admit it
Don't want to let go
Because where will I go
When I know there's nothing left for me to do
When there's nothing left for me to do
When there's nothing for me to go on
But just keep smiling
Because ya know what they all say
Fake it till you make it
I am lost
I don't know myself
And yeah
I may be done
Why is it when i put all my love into you
I get nothing.
When i put all my energy into you
I tried so hard
But nothing.
After a month,Crying every night asking myself
Why am not good enough for you?
Talking to every girl,besides me
why didn't i get anything in return?
Is this really love,i say to myself
“Just keep trying”
“Just keep going”
“Just fake it,till you make it”
Is this really love anymore?
Sometimes it's so hard I think I can't deal
Ties have been cut and I can't break that seal
Feeling like I need that someone to show me
Guide my way to the new me
But only I can do it, alone, acting strong
Even though I know inside it feels wrong
She's not there anymore to lend a helping hand
I guess I need to learn how to just take a stand
Taking control of my life, and my well-being
I never thought i would have trouble seeing
Taking the steps that are needed to have a purpose
The first step is the hardest, I know this to be true
So I've just got to go go go until it's through
Finally going to just take the leap of faith
Fake it 'till you make it, they say that's okay
Crawling through life because I know no other way
Reaching out to all that care for me-it's okay
One day at a time, I know I'm someone special
Baby steps add up, and soon I'll be able
Life won't seem like such an uphill battle
Maybe then my brain won't feel so rattled
~~~Jessica Range 2015
Be classy and fabulous
Be silly and fun
Go ahead and get dirty
Dance in the sun
Be confident and proud
Be hungry for knowledge
Follow your dreams
And please
Go to college
Have tons of friends
Don't be one dimensional
Wherever you end up
Be sure it's intentional
Be a woman of strength
And a child of God
Be goofy and different
Be a bit odd
Always be yourself
Despite what others say
Stay little as long as you can
Never forget how to play
Learn to change a tire
And the oil in your car
Never depend on a man
Know who you are
Travel the world
Widen your horizons
Always speak truth
Don’t live in hiding
Be a true friend
Stay true to your word
Don't succumb to gossip
It’s just bully curd
Don't burn bridges
Admit when you're wrong
Forgive and forget
Play your favorite song
Sing as loud as you can
Laugh until it hurts
Fake it till you make it
Find whatever works
Wherever you go
Don’t forget your way home
Think of me and dad
Pick up the phone
My nose is itchin', company's comin'.
Land sakes alive, as I live and breathe,
haven't seen you in a Coon's age.
Lookin' fat and sassy.
We're fair to middlin', barely gittin' by.
Livin' hand t'mouth, kids drivin' us up th'wall.
Uncle Sam bleedin' us dry. How're y'all farin'?
I'm on the skids, man, boss on my case.
Tossed out on my ear.
Ye gads and little fishes.
Ain't that the way, yah giv'em an inch,
they'll take a mile. You'll wind up
with your tail draggin' your tracks out.
Well, buck up, boy, every cloud has a silver lining.
Rome wasn't built inna day.
Don't give up before you start.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
Keep your chin up, time heals all wounds.
Don't sweat it, man, it'll all come out in th' wash.
In for a penny, in for a pound.
Put on a happy face, fake it, till you make it.
Stop monkeyin' around, actions speak louder than words.
Go out there and knock 'em dead.
It's every man for himself.
Let the chips fall where they may.
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