In this short classroom scene, Mrs. Gregory announces an upcoming end‑of‑semester essay that will heavily impact grades. Two students, Speaker B (a student‑athlete) and Speaker C (a working student supporting family), share their struggles balancing sports, work, family responsibilities, and school. Both describe chronic sleep loss—getting as little as 3‑4 hours per night—and the resulting insomnia, mental spiraling, and fear of academic failure or job loss. They discuss the emotional toll, including anxiety, self‑criticism, and feeling trapped. The dialogue then shifts to practical coping strategies: establishing a wind‑down routine, using positive affirmations, meditation apps, journaling, and progressive muscle relaxation (tensing and releasing muscle groups). Speaker B also mentions muscle‑relaxation techniques over melatonin and the importance of leaning on teammates. Mrs. Gregory responds with empathy, offering flexibility on the essay deadline and providing hall passes to the school nurse, urging the students to seek professional resources for better rest. The scene ends with the students expressing gratitude and a promise to follow up with the nurse.
Chapters
Good morning. As you know, we have our big end semester assignment coming up. Now, this is gonna be a big part of y'all's grade. You're gonna have to write an essay.
Gotta get these grades up or I'm not going to the championship.
Gotta get these grades up or I won't be graduating.
Crushing it on the field while I'm crashing out in reality.
I help pay the bills. My family is counting on me. Spend my nights chugging ZzzQuil, but insomnia's still got me.
Lock in.
Clock out.
Can't slip. The game is riding on me now.
Switch shifts. Work more hours than I can count.
But when it comes to sleep, I know the exact amount I'm missing out. 4 hours if I'm lucky.
3 hours ain't enough to sustain me.
I'd get more if I could just calm down my body.
I'd get more if my mind would stop daydreaming. Laying awake trying to figure out a way to fix everything.
1 AM.
2 AM.
3 AM. Spiraling.
Can't have a weakness, but my grades are slipping. And if I keep living the way I'm living, I could get fired next week.
Can't get a good night's rest because I got too much weight on my chest. Tell myself I just gotta push harder instead.
But it don't help. Maybe I should get some help. So I had to grow up too soon. Maybe it's time I make peace with that. I can't change the dynamic, but I don't have to torture myself over what it is and what it isn't. Allow myself to stop replaying the past. I'm doing my best, and that's all that matters.
They say the best defense against stress is rest, and I gotta prioritize my health. I won't be good to anybody exhausted. I may feel trapped, but I got options. Figure out a wind-down routine.
Replace beating myself up with positive affirmations. Look into all those meditation apps everyone talks about, or I could talk to someone. Pick up a journal, write down all my thoughts, let them go before my head hits the pillow. Because if I keep them locked in here, I'll get no relief from this spiral.
They say muscle relaxation techniques work better than melatonin. I could lean on my team. I don't have to be alone in this. I've been running so hard, I don't even feel the ground. I'm floating.
Out of my mind.
Out of my body.
I'm so over it. Take a deep breath. Tense your toes.
Now let go. Tense your leg muscles.
Now let go. Tense your torso.
Now let go. Tense your arms.
Let the weight fall. Finally, your hands. And let go.
Smooth. Exhale out.
Hey, class is over. Everyone already left. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable, but you two look pretty beat. If you need some extra time on the assignment, it's okay. All right, I can be flexible.
Thank you, Mrs. Gregory. That means a lot.
For real, I definitely needed extra time to work on the assignment.
You're a real one.
It's all right, but don't make this a habit. I'm gonna write you 2 hall passes to the nurse. I would highly advise you to talk to her about getting some resources for getting more rest. Can you promise me you'll do that?
