Hannah's Stolen Words of the Week: Friday Lies, Confidence Cries

Drained. Overwhelmed. Relieved.



Replace those three words with Friday. After the rush of the week, responsibilities slamming against our will power and tugging down our restraint (Yes, I will show up to class. Yes, I will turn in that assignment. Yes, I will sacrifice test-studying for friendship-building)we want to collapse. Not just from the stress of school and work, but from everything related to being a college student (and if you're experiencing it, it's related).

Fridays bring promises. Sometimes, it whispers about relaxation. Other times it slyly winks and murmurs, "Of course you'll catch up on Sunday." But you don't believe it. When Sunday comes, you really don't believe it. It seems too much to handle, or maybe just thinking about the week to come is too much to handle.

Homework has to be cajoled. Teased out. Conquered. By Friday, our confidence about academics may have melted completely away. One messy aspect of our lives impacts and affects other areas, and suddenly it's all just a big mess.

It doesn't have to be. You are a phenomenal woman. Don't let Fridays' lies convince you otherwise. Listen to Maya Angelou, and re-discover your courage. Instead of drained and overwhelmed, you may instead feel inspired.

You are powerful. Without the confidence to shoulder against responsibilities and emotional needs, the wall seems impenetrable. Don't let that wall knock you down, instead build your own strength by first believing in it. Ghandi explained that "strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will."

I have confidence in yours. Do you?



Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.