Gemotions

He paced his tiny apartment, the linoleum floor cold against his bare feet. The announcement felt like a physical blow. He read the email again, line by line, as if a second reading would reveal a different outcome. It didn’t. He stopped, staring out the window at the empty campus quad.

He should have been more proactive, he chided himself. He should have gone to more networking events. He should have sought out internships. He should have built connections. He should have… He knew he had a problem with laziness.

He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands. The campus was closing. His dreams were dissolving. He felt the familiar weight of self-reproach settle in his chest, a dull ache that seemed to grow with each passing moment. He was the architect of his own misfortune.