Sit up straight and look at me when I’m talking to you. Don’t rest your head on your fist. Don’t put your feet on your chair. Stand still, you’re too jittery. Don’t just stand around, there’s work to be done. Go to sleep before midnight—what do you mean how?—just go to sleep. Wake up at 6 AM and be ready for work by 7. You wouldn’t be so tired if you had gone to sleep on time. You don’t need a wristwatch if you have a phone. Don’t lose track of time. Don’t be late to work. Don’t be late to your appointments. You don’t need to play that old video game anymore. Make sure to smile, and never grit your teeth. This is how you make a schedule. This is the routine you should stick to. This is how you catch the right bus, and catch it on time. Every day you should wake up, get dressed, comb your hair, go to work—remember, don’t be late—eat your lunch, work hard for 8 hours, do extra, be helpful, clock out on time, drive home, make dinner, take a shower, sweep the floor, wash the dishes, watch a movie, relax, and then go to sleep. Don’t complain when someone is rude to you and don’t cry when someone yells at you. Don’t be a doormat, stand up for yourself. Hey! Are you listening? Say something! Don’t interrupt people when they’re talking. Stop sitting like that. Shoulders back. Eyes forward. Feet on the floor. Pay attention to me and look at me when I’m talking to you. Do the laundry on Thursday. Take out the trash on Monday.  Wash the dishes every day. Clean the cats’ litter box every day. You should use this tone of voice, not that one. You should walk with this posture, not that one. Face your eyes forward when you walk, when you talk, when you listen, but not while you wait. Contribute to the conversation, but don’t speak unless you are spoken to. Help someone when they’ve made a mistake, but don’t correct someone when they’re wrong. Assert yourself, but don’t be rude. Be autonomous, but do what others want you to do. You’re allowed to say no, but you should always say yes. Answer questions, but don’t ask questions—unless you don’t know something, then you should ask. Are you still paying attention? Look at me when I’m talking to you.

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Afterword

Thank you for reading. This piece was originally written for a class, and inspired by Jamaica Kincaid’s essayette, Girl. I wanted to write about ADHD, and the struggles that come with it. I hope you enjoyed it.