The Art of Being "Put Together"
October 25, 2024
Writer: Sophia Singh
Editor: Megan Lennemann
I ran into my friend, Maggie, at our date party. She asks me how my week has been going, and I sigh loudly.
“I’ve had two midterms in the last 48 hours. I have biochemistry on Monday. Just absolutely freaking out and nervous. I feel like a wreck right now, running on empty.”
She looks at me and reassures me, “Sophia, you are, like, so put together. Like I promise everyone here, if you ask them, they think you are so with it and have your life together all the time.”
A mixture of emotions settle over me. This isn’t the first time in my college career that I’ve been told that statement. “You seem so put together.” In fact, it seems to be one of the main compliments I get. I know people mean well when they say it, but because I know the real truth behind why I seem to be that way, it doesn’t always make me feel the greatest to hear it.
I know, I know. That’s such an awful thing to “complain” about people thinking I have my life together. I am not irritated by the compliment. I just know that I, in fact, do not have my life together, at all. At least, not to the extent that other people seem to think I do. In a way, putting on this facade mentally helps me to distract from the fact that there are other real issues plaguing me.
I get up at 7AM everyday. Not just to eat a big breakfast, but to spend time getting ready and putting on a cute outfit. I take joy in aesthetics and feeling good about myself, so I try the “look good, feel good mentality”. For example, I tell myself my makeup routine is equal parts therapeutic and a shield. It’s so peaceful to get ready in the quiet of the morning, when the sun is still rising and a seemingly bright day is ahead. Still, no amount of concealer can truly cover up sleepless nights filled with anxiety, hours long study sessions, and deeply rooted insecurities I have carried throughout my life. I want everyone to be aware that you never really know what anyone is going through based on appearances. No matter how someone can look on the surface, so much time, energy, and exhaustion often lies beneath.
To be honest, most days I don’t think too deeply about it. This way of facing the world everyday has just become a habit. What I have learned over the years is that it’s equally as important, if not more, to have the balance of doing what truly makes you feel good inside versus just doing what makes you look good outside. Everyone has their own definition of being put together, and every single one is valid and worthy. It’s not just a lifestyle, it’s a mentality. Taking mental breaks, treating yourself, surrounding yourself with positive people, it all goes into the art of being “put together”, too.
Image: Zoe Romeu
