Academic Advice

I’m 45 minutes early

To meet with my Honors advisor.

The receptionist grimaces when I tell her this,

As if I have

Placed some heavy burden on her shoulders by

Sitting in the waiting room

And looking at pictures of Europe on the Internet.

I want to say,

“Honey, I am trying to figure out

The rest of my life.

I am not about to bend over backwards to figure out

A more convenient place

To kill thirty minutes.

I just want to get where I’m going.”

A more responsible looking student

A freshman,

Sits

On the other side of the coffee table,

Highlighting important passages in a textbook.

I think about doing homework that is due Tuesday.

But figuring out where to go to grad school seems more important right now.

18 minutes left until my meeting.

I fantasize that

My advisor will hand me a folder that says

EMMA WESSLUND’S FIVE YEAR PLAN

On the cover.

I will look through it, and see that I now no longer have to worry about

Class credits

Study abroad

Grad school

Work

It is all here

In this big, fat binder that frees me up to start

Planning for retirement.

14 minutes left.

I debate between

The cleanliness and intelligence of Washington, D.C.

The excitement and bustle of New York City.

The comfort and familiarity of Louisville.

My advisor is running behind.

A student came in with an emergency at one,

Pushing her 1 o’clock appointment back to 1:49.

“I HAVE AN EMERGENCY!”

I want to shout.

“I DON’T KNOW WHAT CLASSES I AM GOING TO TAKE IN GRAD SCHOOL!”

But I don’t get an emergency session.

I instead have to sit in my room,

Wondering if it’s okay to bother my parents

Once again

About whether I should be an actor or a marketer,

Whether I should do yoga now or before bed,

Whether it is okay that I am having a bagel, bacon, and pizza in the same day.

I didn’t plan for any of this.

I just blinked,

And found myself

Sitting

In the Honors advising office,

Daydreaming about a binder that I will have to put together myself.

Reviews

[YeshuaRedeemed]

I love it. It is hard to put into words why right now, but I do love it.

[Stevo The POE-t]

Really great job here... I really enjoyed reading it... Thanks for sharing...