Maya T.

Photography by Colleen Charchut

If you’re reading this, you are valid to be stressed out.

I don’t mean just the day-to-day stress of school or work or even personal relationships. I mean the kind of uncertainty that sinks deeper. The kind that makes you ask quietly, “What kind of world are we really living in right now?”

It feels like every day brings a new headline that makes your stomach twist. It can feel like we’re all bracing for the next “thing,” even as we try to smile, meet deadlines, and make weekend plans like it’s all normal.

But here’s the truth: it’s not normal. It’s not normal to grow up in a world where hope feels like an act of rebellion. And it’s okay if that makes you feel scared, angry, numb, or uncertain. It’s okay if some days you wonder what it’s all for, or how you’re supposed to imagine a future when so much feels like it’s falling apart.

You’re not weak for feeling that. You’re not “too sensitive” or “too dramatic.” You’re awake. You’re paying attention. And that means you’re human in the deepest sense.

But here’s another truth: even in the midst of this chaos, there are quiet revolutions happening. People are still falling in love. Still building communities. Still showing up for each other. Still laughing. Still dreaming. And maybe, most importantly, still trying, even when it’s hard.

There is power in that trying. There’s power in planting something today even when you’re not sure it’ll grow. There’s power in holding someone’s hand when the world feels like it’s burning. There’s power in choosing to care.

So if the world feels heavy on your shoulders right now, just know: it’s not your job to fix everything. It’s enough to start small. To love fiercely. To keep going. And to believe, even if just a little, that something beautiful can still come from all of this.

You are not alone. And you are not powerless.

With you,

Someone who still believes in the morning after the storm.

Maya T., Northwestern University

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