OPINION: Editor unlike lightbulb
By David Gomez Jr.
Editor-in-chief
Published Wednesday, May 18, 2022
There are days I just stop what I’m doing and do nothing. It never feels by choice and it just happens.
Trying to make sense of it, honestly, I think I just burn myself out–like a lightbulb.
I remember when it first started happening–the third grade.
It was mid-fall in Mrs. Maldonado’s class at C.L. Milton Elementary and I was a little slow doing my math homework. She told me to take it home to complete, but I didn’t.
I knew what I had to do as I looked at the few questions looking back at me. The moment lasted, for what seemed like forever. I didn’t do it.
I went to school the next day. The teacher told us to separate into a small group. That small group also took their assignment home to complete and they did, except for me.
She sat down in front of us, told us to pass down our assignments to the person to the left of us. We did. Then I thought I had an amazing idea. “Mrs. Maldonado? May I go to the restroom, please?”
She told me I could as they proceeded to grade each other’s homework. My stomach was in knots. Trying not to throw up, I could still smell the thinner from the restroom walls as they were about to paint them the next day. I stayed for as long as I could until one of the teacher aids came looking for me.
I dreaded each step I took toward the classroom. I counted every crack in the concrete on the way over–29 cracks. As I went into the classroom, she immediately confronted me and wondered why I hadn’t done my homework. I couldn’t give her an answer. Some sort of lethargic demon just took over. I felt so much shame. I still do. I had watched wrestling the night before, my favorite thing at the time; I didn’t enjoy it at all.
Now that I’ve told you all that, I’m currently on hour four writing about this.
Today may be one of those days where I’ll burnout pretty soon. People tell me I should organize myself a little more and that it should help a lot with my dilemma. Honestly, I think I may thrive on it.
School? Work? The paper? I like burning out. I just hope I don’t run out of lightbulbs.
