Every night is the same for me; after I finish doing my homework at 2 a.m., I force myself to get off the couch and get into bed. The journey from the living room to my bedroom feels unnecessarily long, and it’s accompanied with moans and groans from the exhausting day. After I tug myself into bed, I stare into the thick darkness and think. And think. And think.

It’s funny; the one time you’re able to get away from your troubles is the one time when the darkest of your thoughts start flooding. They seep through every crevice of your mind. They cloud your consciousness. You can’t think of anything other than your thoughts. Your dark, raw thoughts.

You feel your body become limp while your mind starts going 100 mph. You pinch yourself in hopes of distracting your mind to something else. You try anything to prevent your anxiety from heightening to its peak. Anything to stop it.

Time slows. The thoughts start processing quicker. The imbalance of time and reality make your thoughts even more disoriented. You feel weak and alone.

But remember: though your mind may be in a state of murkiness, it is not opaque. Light will always pass through. No matter how hopeless you feel, no matter how lonely you may get, light always follows darkness. The sun always rises after the darkest hour of the night. And your thoughts, your oh so dark thoughts, will eventually dissipate into the warm luster of happiness.