Welcome to MLA format hell, where the teachers all “want you to succeed” and “care about your education.”
In reality, they’re just enduring the painful hours they have to spend babysitting a bunch of lifeless, apathetic teenagers who know this is all bullshit anyways.
Month by month, year by year is spent, living off their meager teacher’s salary, wishing they could redo their lives.
Occasionally, there will be that one kid who actually cares, who takes in every word he hears and tries to learn from it. He has the potential to go on in life and escape the rut of suburban routine. {Graduate from high school, get a job, get married, have kids and the cycle repeats}.
Maybe this kid could grow up to be different, do something important and worthwhile. Make a difference.
But no.
Because of his differences he stands out. He becomes a target to petty teenage jealousy and insecurity. To “realistic” adults who crush dreams and ambition. To everything in this world telling him,
“You’re not good enough, you’re going to fail. What makes you think you’re any different than the rest of us?”
You have to do as you’re expected, follow the rules, and always take the easy route.
And so, he stifles that little spark of something that made him special and gives in to the lazy river that is MLA format hell.