We stay up late,

Staring at social media like the bible

Looking at photos of people we wished we looked like,

Waking up drowsy like we haven’t slept a minute,

We go to school,

Only to get judged by the people who are

Better looking, funny, and less complicated,

Making us feel like crawling back into bed

And never getting out,

We sit in class

And think about things other than what the teacher is saying,

Prom, summer, falling in love,

Achieving mediocre grades,

Waiting for graduation day,

The day we have all been waiting for,

Only to get a handshake and a piece of paper,

Then we go home,

Look in the mirror,

Noticing our flaws like a fish out of water,

Thinking “We hate ourselves” while looking through makeup products so  

We can cover what’s underneath

Because we only feel pretty when we’re someone else,

Taking cover behind a screen

So others won’t see us give up,

Finding peace in the dark

To keep us from seeing the light,

But we do it all again anyways,

It’s funny,

All these years of brainwashing  

And class,

But no one ever taught us

How to love

Ourselves