The following piece was awarded Highly Commended in the OU Students Association Freshers Writing Competition for Freshers Fortnight 2023 (25 Sept – 8 Oct). The author, Jamie-Lee, lives in Chelmsford and is studying towards BSc (Hons) Psychology.
Content warning: mental health, anxiety.
Caught in an hourglass, well, that’s how I feel,
Heart beating fast, my panic becomes real.
I try to be brave and step outside my zone,
But nerves grip me, oh I feel so alone.
Time continues on at its steady pace,
But my mind is lost, running in a race.
To fit in, to speak up, to make a friend,
To reach those things, my fears don’t end.
The hours pass, days turn to weeks,
And though time moves on, my anxiety speaks.
Every part of my life is a constant strain,
My struggles with social circles, will always remain.
But I know for certain, that time is my friend,
Each minute I get, a chance to try it again.
With courage and strength, I’ll face my fears,
To let go of my anxiety, when it appears.
For ‘emit’ spelt in reverse is a message in time,
Overcoming my anxiety, for certain a climb.
With belief in myself, to walk out the door,
And live with my social anxiety, no more.
