I am so tired. I swear I have been since like 2015. I’m tired in general, but mainly I’m tired of politics. Specifically, American politics. More specifically, the 2020 presidential election.

If we’re in the car and you ask me to play music, the chances of you being stuck listening to Lady Gaga, musical theatre and vintage One Direction are extremely high.

I’m comfortable with my identity as a gay man. I know there’s nothing inherently wrong with that fact. The people I surround myself with agree. They’re allies in the truest sense, they consistently show their love and support for the LGBTQIA+ community and make me feel accepted and loved. I appreciate that and I value that more than anything.

My birthday is this week. The big birthday – 21. The birthday that’s supposed to change your life and open countless doors. The birthday that symbolizes your entrance to adulthood through the acquisition of an ID that faces horizontally.

I got 10 hours of sleep last night. No, really. 10 hours. I wasn’t sick or exhausted or anything like that, I just decided to get a full night of rest. It was a Friday night and instead of going out, I slathered on an entire bottle of lotion and slipped into a nice comatose-like trance under my weighted blanket.

There’s something bonding about the shared stress that everyone else is experiencing. There’s something truly unique about all of us panicking at the same time. I don’t know if it’s morbid to say, but at least I know I’m not the only one who’s having a difficult time getting through finals without having a meltdown.