Gemotions

The cheap coffee in the vending machine tasted like burnt rubber, but Sarah forced herself to take a sip. The bitter liquid did little to quell the churning in her gut. She’d poured over her application essays, painstakingly crafted them to perfection. She’d spent countless nights volunteering and studying, all for this. Now, someone else was getting the money she had earned.

She pushed away from the flimsy table in the student cafeteria. She had a mountain of readings to get through, but suddenly she found it impossible to concentrate. The words blurred before her eyes, and the thought of reading another academic text felt repulsive. She felt a burning sensation in her chest, a physical manifestation of frustration. She thought she might actually yell at a wall.