Gemotions

The vibrant energy of the campus felt suffocating to Daniel. The announcement hung over the student union like a thundercloud. His thesis advisor, Dr. Lee, was leaving. He felt a physical heaviness, a slump in his posture that mirrored the sinking feeling in his stomach.

He avoided eye contact with everyone. He’d gone to the gym earlier, hoping to work off some of his bottled-up frustration. But instead of feeling energized, he felt depleted and the weights were impossibly heavy.

He found himself wandering aimlessly, his footsteps dragging. He needed to be focused, to work on his research, but the thought of it made him feel completely blank, completely empty.