Sometime in the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, I walked with my friend, who was now a senior at my high school, to grab boba after school, and one of the topics of our conversation was her college application. Over tapioca pearls, she spilled her worries – the essays, the choices, the research. That discussion inspired my poem, which I wrote while trying to view the college application process from my senior friend's perspective. Even though I'm just a sophomore, I feel the pressure of college applications whenever I glimpse at my future, reminding me that the ticking clock affects us all, regardless of our grade level, or "hour."

My poem delves into the overwhelming pressure and stress that characterizes the life of a secondary school student in 2023; more narrowly, this is a poem encapsulating the stress associated with 11th grade in the United States. It captures the relentless ticking of the "clock", symbolizing the deadlines, expectations, and societal pressures that define our high school journey. My poem displays a sense of urgency to exhibit the common struggle of planning for a future amid mounting expectations, reflecting the shared experience that many secondary school students are enduring right now.

I wrote this poem to capture the rush, worry, and constant push for success that students like me go through in high school. I decided to share it because I thought it could help others see that they're not alone in feeling this way; we all face similar challenges. By reading this, I hope students can connect and find comfort in knowing that others understand what they're going through in high school!