Description: 5 Emotions

*Also posted at edu20.org

Expectant - Still rejuvenated from my morning bath, I eagerly march up the cream-white stairs, anticipating a new phase of social interaction. I try to exert extra force to my step, the heavy foot falls it creates drowns out my heightened heartbeat. My increased breathing interval distracts me; it takes me a moment to collect myself and slow it down. Reaching the top of the stairs and striding through the towering doorway, I remind myself that every newcomer here probably feels nervous too and nervousness distracts me. I straighten my posture and try to maintain an air of confidence and approachability as I near the newcomer’s meeting area.

Smug - I gleefully rub my hands together as I contemplate on the fact that having gone through this activity before enables me to apply advantageous prior knowledge. Smirking, I silently declare that I will emerge the victor. The fine line between confidence and arrogance is blurred as thoughts of superiority cloud my mind.

Stale - I grow weary as the day slowly progresses. Time always seems to inconsiderately slow itself down whenever I find myself in an uninteresting situation. I adjust my sitting position again; the chair I am on, which had been pretty comfortable at first, now feels like a rough stone slab. With a blank expression, I constantly look at my silver watch, silently wishing my persistent glances would magically speed up time and end this dull state of inactivity.

Disgust - I speedily retreat from the cramped, crowded room in which I had regrettably spent the better part of my day. I lift my finger to press the elevator button; I apply enough pressure before immediately retracting my finger due to the sticky feeling the oily surface of the button gives me. As I wait for the elevator to reach my floor, thoughts of all the seedy denizens who could have used this elevator dance in my head. From the “fat guy with a bad case of body odor” to the “fatal farter”, I was imagining each of them leaving traces of their dastardly smells and/or marks (especially in the case of “the booger dude”) in the elevator. I had just finished thinking about “the long-haired-dandruff-covered-didn’t-bathe guy” and was now dwelling on “the dirty couple” when I hear a clatter of old metal parts as the elevator doors open. A foreboding stench of musty, processed air seeps out. I forcefully exhale in a vain attempt to clear my lungs of the unpleasing air. I peek into the newly opened hole in the wall before me. I raise my eyebrows in disbelief as I note the dirty floor, walls and ceiling; plus the creepy dim lights. Listening carefully, I could hear the cables creaking; the cables from which this grimy metal box was suspended from and from which my life would be hanging from. Calling what was in front of me a “poorly maintained elevator” would be an understatement; “dirty deathtrap” is more like it.

Relief - I burst through the main doors and smile as a refreshing gust of wind greets me. The peaceful expanse before me comforts my tired psyche. I am thankful that even for a little while, I can leave the dreary, plain halls of routine instruction. Slowly, I tread down the cream-white steps and note that they aren’t as cream-white as when I first laid my eyes on them, they look more dirty-white to me now. At the last step I close my eyes, take a deep breath and exhale slowly, grin, and stroll towards my car.