Gemotions

The email arrived, flagged with a red exclamation point. I stared at it. The words "Academic Dishonesty" seemed to swim before my eyes. My heart rate didn't elevate. My palms weren't clammy. I clicked the minimize button, and then went back to playing a video game.

The digital world felt safer, easier. The game demanded my attention. The academic world, with its rules and judgments, felt a million miles away. I forgot about the email a few minutes later, only to be reminded by a text from the school. I let it go to voicemail.