A Matter of Time Lines

Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll turn out great! Everything we’ve heard so far has been awesome. It’ll all come together in the end.

You guys are so lucky all you have to do for your thesis is perform.

I’d like to see you get up on stage, Emma.

And I'd like to see you sit still and write a paper longer than 2 pages

Yes you’ve said that, other opinions? Emma? Spencer?

One

Just as humble as the first win…

Wait, Ivy, when is the performance again?

April 29th at 7:30, I think

I’m gonna write that down right now so I don’t forget.

Goodnight

Do you guys ever stop yelling?

Yeah, you guys are really loud. I’m gonna go write in my room for a bit. (starts to leave, turns back) Oh, Emma, make sure you get some actual sleep tonight. You can’t just survive on energy drinks 🥤.

Believe me, I’ve tried.

UGHGHHHHGHGHHGHGHG

Okayyy I’m going to the library to finish this.

Oh my god guys pay attention, this is my favorite part!!

Sage, we’ve seen this movie a million times. We know what happens next.

Guys, do you think Spencer hates me?

If he does, he probably doesn’t even know it.

I don’t know, something he said last week has been really bothering me.

What did he say.

Well, it’s just-

Do you want me to yell at him for you?

That’s not gonna work. He never listens to you.

He never listens to anyone.

Well, it’s finals season. He’s probably just stressed.

Spencer? Stressed about school? That’s a new one.

Everyone gets stressed, we just express it in different ways. Someone once told me, "We all carry storms inside us — some let the rain fall, others just learn to dance in it”

Well I think I’m getting struck by lightning

I guess-

crash out

…You good?

My professor just assigned ANOTHER paper. This close to finals? I hate everything.

Hate is a strong-

Now I have to reschedule my entire day tomorrow so I have time to write this. I’ll be up until 3, I’ll have to skip breakfast, maybe if I’m lucky I’ll have 7 minutes to eat lunch…

That doesn’t sound very healthy.

It’s fine. I’ll be healthy when I graduate.

I’m going with option 1.

Oh, the red one?

…Neither of them were red.

Close enough.

Really good, I’m actually pretty proud of it. I feel like it tells my story. I’m so glad you guys will all be there to see it.

The 29th at 7:30! I’ve got it written down right here.

I’m super excited! I can’t wait to see everyone’s projects. And then we all get to graduate together! This is such an exciting time of the year!

I love you guys, but I should get started on this paper tonight if I want to get it done on time. 

But it’s girls night! We’re supposed to be relaxing and having fun, not working.

With this new assignment, I don’t have time to relax anymore. I’m sorry, can we call it a night? I’m gonna go to the library

Oh hey, i wanted to check in with you real quick

I’m fine

Are you sure? You e been working non stop, and you didn’t seem to be having any fun at girls’ night. And Spencer said you insulted sea lions the other day, and that’s so unlike you because you love sea animals.

I told you already. I’m okay

Well, “okay” doesn’t mean “good.” You’ve been overworking yourself, Emma.

Well, maybe-

You just need to take a break, and relax, and make sure you’re balancing your work and your life. “It’s like planting clocks in a garden: no matter how much you water them, you can’t grow more hours.” I read that on a self care blog

Thanks…?

No problem! I’m always here if you need any more advice. We’re going to get dinner, do you wanna come?

I can’t, I have to finish this assignment.

Damn I don’t get why he’s so upset with me over this

Are you serious?

Huh?

Classic. No idea what’s going on.

Alright come on. What am I missing?

That’s the day of Ivy’s performance. Everyone planned to go months ago.

Shit I already bought my ticket to this concert. I’m not about to waste my money.

Well, you’re going to have to be the one to tell her why you’re not going.

Wait a second. Isn’t it on the 29th!? You have her event crossed out in your calendar!

Uh, yeah.

Let me get this straight… you’re over here making me feel bad but you’re not even going!?!??

Well at least I have a valid reason!

And that issss?

My finals are coming up, I have two papers to finish, a big presentation, and I have to keep studying if there’s even a chance of me getting into med school-

Alright DAMN. At least this makes me feel better about not going. 

You have to go. You have no valid reason to not go.

Yeah says you.

You don’t understand how much pressure I have to get this done. I’m constantly running out of time. Come on, don’t be ridiculous. I can’t believe you’re seriously going to a concert instead of supporting your friend when you know how much this means to her.

I don’t know what to say right now. Like do you want me to just throw my money away

So you’d rather just throw your friendship away?

That’s so unfair, I’m not perfect

Clearly

Oh right because you’re just a saint. You’re disappointing her the same as me.

I don’t have time for this. Leave me alone.

Hey Emma, do you have a minute?

Yeah, sure.

What are you working on?

I’ve been up all night writing this research paper while also studying for my calc exam.

Have you slept at all recently?

A few hours here and there, but it’s fine. I can sleep when this is finished.

That’s not good! The body needs sleep in order to function properly!

Sleep or no sleep, this needs to get done. I’ve never missed a deadline and I’m not going to start now.

You know you can ask for an extensio-

No, it’s fine. People expect me to get it done on time, so I need to keep working. What did you need?

Well Spencer is away right doing who knows what and I just feel like I need to talk to someone.

What’s going on?

I’ve just been thinking a lot about how our graduation is coming up, and I don’t know what the future is going to hold for me, like what am I supposed to do in the real world?

Well, obviously you’re going to keep playing music.

Well not necessarily, the business I want to be a part of, it’s not that easy to just “play music”

Yeah, but you’re really good at it. You’ll be successful if you keep working at it.

Yeah but the odds of that are super low, I mean the odds of success are super slim. I’ll never reach the levels of Mötley Crüe or The Beatles.

I get how you feel. I’ve had my whole life planned out since high school up until college graduation, and now that it’s time to plan the next step, I don’t know where to go from here. 

Yeah, but one small mistake could mess everything up, and then I’m left with nothing.

And if you mess up, you let everyone down. And you let yourself down too. If everything could go exactly according to plan, what would it look like for you?

Well I’d be on stage, selling out Madison Square Garden. Millions of people cheering the name of whatever band I'm in. An elaborate stage setup with pyrotechnics and screens. Touring the world, really. Being able to tell my story through the music I write, and helping others who feel the same way I do.

Wow, you really love what you do.

I guess you could say that, yeah

How?

How what?

How do you not lose sight of that joy and love with all of the pressures of everything else?

Well what would you do if everything went according to plan for you?

I don’t have time to think about that right now. I should get back to work.

 Wait! Before you go back to work, I just wrote a song, and I was wondering if you wanted to hear what I have so far. It’s pretty different from everything I have shown you before.

I’m sorry, Theo, but I really have to get back to work.

Just listen to it for a little bit.

Yeah, it’s great. Can you please just let me work?

I thought you liked my quotes…

Oh my God, when has anyone ever said that?

I’m just trying to help!

The only thing you “help” with is making us more stressed and confused because nothing you say makes sense!

Emma, I don’t see how anyone can make you more stressed than yourself.

What are you talking about?

Uh, yeah…that’s fucked up, Emma.

Shut up, Spencer. You’re no better

You both are just genuinely disrespectful of other people’s time

I’m not even respectful of my own time

Time is like a…

Not now, Sage! None of you guys understand the amount of work I have to do and the pressure I’m under to get it all done! I’m trying so hard to be successful, and I have to make certain sacrifices. 

We all have to make sacrifices to get things done but at a certain point it's just, like, toxic for you and the people around you.

I’m trying to prioritize my career

You could do that without making us feel like shit… or maybe also listening to what Ivy or Theo has to say. You worship your calendar, but you still miss the stuff you write in it. Trust me, we all understand how much you have to get done

Yeah, right. I’m sure you get it, Spencer

I know I'm not perfect; I'm just trying to get by doing the things I want to do!

I don’t have time to argue with you all about this. I have way too much going on to be having this stupid argument right now

Yeah, I figured if I’m going to make music for a living, it needs to be authentic, or it wouldn’t really be living, you know? Yo wait.. that line is kinda fire. I should write that down.

Is that one going to be in your thesis?

I’ll be there!

So will I (etc)! I’m sorry that I brushed you off when you tried to show me this before. It’s really good.

That’s okay, you had a lot on your plate.

I still do, but that’s not an excuse to be rude to everyone. And it’s not healthy for me either. I’ve spent so much time planning for the future, that I forgot how to enjoy what’s happening right now. And I was so caught up thinking I had to meet everyone’s expectations that I didn’t realize that I was the one putting the unrealistic expectations on myself. I think I’m gonna try to get into some better habits.

I’m so glad! I can send you more of the guided meditations if that helps.

Thanks, but I think I’m okay. I need to do this in my own way. I want to be able to make more time for you guys. Ivy, I’m really sorry that I didn’t go to your performance. I should have managed my time better. Time for friends is just as important as time for work. 

Yeah, but I should’ve talked to you guys about it in a better way.

And we should’ve listened. 

I’m so glad that we could finally sit down and communicate about all of this.

Yeah, ignoring our problems wasn’t going to make them go away.