Imposter Syndrome/Grace Knudsen

Nostalgia has become a crutch
Even though reality was flawed
Things tend to look better in the frame
Where I placed my memory in the first place

Are the pictures and writings what I’ll remember?
Are my own memories being manufactured?
Editing the honesty out and attaching fake sentiment?
Will they restore my memory, or will I know it already?

As I sit in the moment I think to myself,
“You need to remember this”
My mind draws a camera, looks for the prettiest angle
Prepares to filter out the imperfections

The next day I turn to my phone
Staring and listening to us until I memorize the night
My camera roll serving as evidence I was alive
That I’ve left an artifact to be discovered

The next day I rush to a notebook
Transfering my thoughts into ink in a secret script
Jotting down every memory to create a primary source
Telling myself “if I put it into writing, it becomes real”

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Grace Knudsen is a junior at SNC from McHenry, IL. She is majoring in English and Communications with a focus in media studies. Her writing typically focuses on addressing her younger self, and creating a narrative that embraces honesty, authenticity, and personal growth.