Seven hour long days. Five days a week back to back. Thirty minute breaks once a day. Sit in your seat and don’t look behind, in front, or beside you. Stay silent and look at the board. Don’t even think to touch your phone or glance to see if you received an important message. Don’t show any signs of fatigue, you must stay utterly devoted and aware to every single word your instructor says or you are disrespectful. Listen to how the periodic table came to be, can you tell me how to properly manage a bank account? How about what businesses look for when hiring new employees? Don’t show your shoulders even if it’s 90 degrees outside, that’s provoking and could disrupt the education of young men. Feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated by all the commotion? That’s unfortunate, keep your headphones out of sight or they are property of the school. Don’t look at anyone the wrong way, you could get hit. Don’t say the wrong thing, you could get hit. Lock the door after every bell, it’s possible someone could be lurking around with a gun. Let the caucasian teacher preach discriminating slurs, we can’t lose another staff member. Let students feel uncomfortable by the comments of our male teachers, we can’t lose even more of our staff.
Finally, it’s time to go home.
You had wished you could rest, but you have homework to do. Weren’t you just at school for seven hours? Yes, but they don’t care. You better get your assignments for each eight classes done quickly so you can be at work on time. You are at the job your parents pushed you to get so you could have an income. Tired? That sucks, you have a job to do. Keep a smile on your face and satisfy the needs of other people.
The shift is over, it is almost 9pm and you are back home. Take a shower, do any leftover homework, scarf down a meal, and go to sleep. You didn’t have any time for yourself. You couldn’t socialize with your friends or family. Or pursue any activities that make you enjoy alone time. All while your body and brain are still developing. Your personal life issues are not taken into account, you have grades to keep high and a job to keep acquired.
Now wake up and do that all again. Every day.
