I nervously laughed, standing at the podium that faced hundreds of people. I don't know who I'm supposed to be, but these wrinkles tell me I'm not me. I want to be home, binging Riverdale or something meaningless like that. I don't live a philosopher’s life, that's for sure, so what am I going to tell these people? That I’m a twenty-year-old student in her third year of college? Or maybe that I have no idea what the meaning of life is and/or how to spend it?

“Hello, everybody,” I started to speak. Wait, why am I speaking? No, don't speak. Don't you- “I'm here to explain the meaning of life to you, and you're probably super excited to figure out what you should be doing with it.

“But I can't do that. I can't tell you what to eat, or how to dress, or who you spend your time with.” _I’m still speaking. WHY AM I STILL SPEAKING?! _“I don't think anyone knows the true meaning of life. Or at least not your life. Maybe you are an aspiring actor who just lost the opportunity to be a star on Broadway. Or maybe you're a doctor and met with someone you couldn't save. But, whether you're an electrician or the President of the United States, you come to learn that life is short. So I guess, maybe, instead of getting down on yourself and wasting your life away, call your mom, go skydiving, form a relationship. Because you only get one chance.” Did I just say all that? Did that come from my brain? Wow. That was deep. “However, like I said, I can’t tell you what to do. I can only offer you advice and hope you take it. Anyway, uh…” _I lost my closing sentence. Crap, I lost my closing sentence! Um… _i thought hard before it came to me. _Wait, I got it. _“Go football!”

The crowd erupted in cheers, the applause warming my heart as I basked in it for a while longer. I then exited the stage, finding myself sitting on my couch, my dog, Milli, asleep on my lap. Was it all a dream? If it was, I’m apparently a very intelligent dreamer. I got the message from my subconscious, calling up my friends to go have some fun. Sure, I was only twenty and not even close to my end, but I couldn’t keep using the excuse to avoid people anymore. I guess I have my subconscious to thank, huh?