Hello student writers!
Welcome back to another writing challenge. ✨

We all grew up hearing fairy tales from our elders —the stories that fueled our imaginations and taught us valuable lessons.

But as we grow older, we begin to tell ourselves stories, too.

Sometimes flimsy excuses to put off a task, fake promises with ourselves we know we won’t keep, and sometimes explanations to justify our own actions to ourselves.

“I’ll start tomorrow. Promise!”
“I deserve this doomscrolling break. I’ve had a long day!”
“I don’t care about that”

We coax ourselves into getting 5 more minutes of sleep, promise not to procrastinate, and convince ourselves that one bite won’t hurt.

We comfort ourselves when things go wrong by saying everything happens for a reason, tell ourselves that we’re waiting for the right time when we’re actually avoiding, or insist on keeping doing something that drains us.

But why do we do it?
Why do we tell ourselves these stories?
And how do they shape how we think and act?

Let’s give it some thought in SXS’s writing challenge, “The Little Lies We Tell Ourselves”.

Talk about the small beliefs, the quirky excuses, assumptions, and the stories you convince yourself to accept.

You can write about the habits you keep justifying, the truths you avoid, or even the harmless little lies that make everyday life easier. 😉

Your story doesn’t have to be extraordinary; sometimes the most interesting stories hide the most ordinary things.

We’d love to read your story!

🎨Challenge Details:

Title: The Little Lies We Tell Ourselves – A Writing Challenge!
Subtitle: Your choice!

🗓️Submission Timeline: 15th November — 5th December, 2026
🏆Winner Announcement: 7th December, 2026

Submission Guidelines:

Please go through these requirements before submitting your story!

• You must be a writer in our publication to participate.
  If you aren’t one yet, no worries! You can join us here.
• Follow our publication and the editors, Maha Khan, Afshin, and Haylee Griffith, and also tag them in your story.

students x students

• You must use both the “Students X Students” and “Enjoy Writing” tags in your submission story.
• Your story must have a featured image. Use the title and subtitle as specified.
• Make sure the estimated reading time is 3–5 minutes.
• No AI-generated content, please!

💡 Need Some Ideas?

• Have you ever convinced yourself that you don’t care about something when you actually do? Maybe a friendship, a grade, or someone’s opinion. Explore why we sometimes pretend to feel differently than we really do.
• What are some excuses you find yourself making? Whether it’s being too tired, too busy, or simply not in the mood, reflect on the little reasons you give yourself to avoid doing something.
• Do you have a habit you keep telling yourself you’ll break “next week”? Maybe staying up too late, procrastinating, scrolling on your phone, or spending too much money. Why is it so hard to change?
• What’s something you keep telling yourself is “not a big deal”? Maybe a small disappointment, an awkward interaction, or something that secretly bothers you more than you’d like to admit.
• Have you ever convinced yourself that someone will change, something will get better, or a situation will eventually fix itself? Reflect on the hopes and expectations we sometimes hold onto.
• What are some things you tell yourself to get through a difficult day? Are these little stories a form of encouragement, avoidance, or perhaps a bit of both?

👀 Why Join?

• Get a chance to be featured on our publication page!
• The challenge provides a beginner-friendly introduction to writing.
• Joining a challenge can help you overcome writer’s block and get creative.
• Discover your voice as a writer beyond classroom rubrics.
• Connect with a community of fellow student writers.
• Be part of our mission to uplift and empower young writers!

We cannot wait to see how you all interpret this challenge!

🙋 FAQ

Here are a few things you might want to know before getting started!

1. Do I need prior writing experience to participate?

Not at all! In fact, our writing challenges are a great starting point for beginner writers to explore their creativity and begin writing.

2. Do I need to be a member of the publication to participate?

Yes, you must be a writer for our publication to participate in the writing challenges. You can join us right here!

3. Can I use AI tools while working on my submission?

Although you may use AI tools to aid you during the writing process, submissions that are largely AI-generated will not be accepted. Your submission should reflect your own thoughts, creativity, and writing.

4. Can I use a writing style or format other than traditional essays?

Definitely! You are welcome to express your thoughts in any writing style or format you feel comfortable with. However, all submissions must be written in English.

5. Will the publication make any edits to my submitted work?

Our editors will only make minor corrections to your work (fixing grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors). Beyond these corrections, we will provide constructive feedback to help you improve your writing!

If you have any other questions, drop them in the comments below 📥

The Little Lies We Tell Ourselves —A Writing Challenge! was originally published in students x students on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hello student writers! ✍️
How are you all doing?

We’ve got something amazing to share with you all today!

Every new initiative begins with an idea.
We wanted to turn our idea into something people can actually participate in.

With that in mind, Students X Students launched its first Writing Challenge last month, “I’m Not A Student Without…?”

This challenge was an opportunity for us to experiment with a new way of bringing writers together and uplifting student voices.

We were thinking of a simple prompt that all our writers could relate to, and one where everyone could share a different perspective, thought, or angle.

Undeniably, it was a student’s life itself.

Because being a student can’t be just about one thing. And definitely not just about how we study and what we achieve. It takes all those weird habits, playful antics, and memorable moments to be a student.

This challenge was a wonderful experience not just for our writers, but also for our team.
And today we’re bringing this first challenge to a close.

✏️ A Little Something From Our Editors:

Our writing challenges aren’t just about inviting stories; they’re about involving the whole SXS community of student writers & editors.

I’m grateful to our editors, Haylee Griffith and Afshin, for contributing their thought pieces to this challenge.

• I'm Not A Student Without...? - A Writing Challenge!
• I'm Not A Student Without...? - A Writing Challenge!

✨ 🏆 And Finally The Winner Is…

Congratulations to Saad Shakoor!

The reason this story stood out is definitely for its beautiful metaphor, using nutrients and plants to reflect the struggle and growth of student life.

When I first read it, I immediately loved how deeply reflective and almost poetic it was in its expression. No doubt, it drew readers in from the first few sentences.

Read their piece and experience their perspective for yourself.

I'm Not A Student Without...? - A Writing Challenge!

Thank you 𝒮𝒶𝒶𝒹 𓆰𓆪 for sharing your work with us and being a part of this challenge. We hope to see you keep writing, exploring, and expressing your ideas!

💐 Thankyou Everyone!

Bringing life to an idea takes more than one person.

Students x Students sincerely thanks every writer who submitted a piece. Every submission represented someone choosing to sit down, write, and share their memories. That deserves appreciation in its own right.

To our amazing editors and everyone in the SXS team who helped make this challenge happen, thank you for all your work!

And to everyone who read, clapped, commented, and shared this along the way, you helped create a space for everyone’s stories to be discovered.

✍️ Other Notable Voices…

This challenge wasn’t about one final result; it was about giving every student a chance to write and a place to share their stories.

We’d like to recognize other notable participations as well and encourage you to explore their work, too. Sometimes knowing that someone has taken time to read your work is enough to keep going.

I'm Not a Student Without... - Writing Challenge.

• I really loved this personal story about finding balance in a student’s life. Being a student isn’t just about studying all day, it about all those experiences that make these years memorable.

I'm Not A Student Without... - A Writing Challenge!

• What I particularly loved about this story was its rawness, honesty, and simplicity. This story reminds us that student life is memorable for everyone in their own way.

✨ There Is More To Come…

Our first Writing Challenge has come to an end, but the initiative behind it hasn’t.

There is still so much to explore and so many students with stories worth sharing. Students x Students will be hosting writing challenges every few weeks.

If you had been thinking about participating but couldn’t in the first challenge, perhaps the next challenge will be your chance.

Until then, keep writing!

With appreciation,

Students X Students

We’re providing opportunities for the next generation of student thinkers, inventors, and learners to publish their thoughts, ideas, and innovations through writing.

Our student-written articles span topics from Growth to Tech, all the way to World and Miscellaneous.

So if you feel like you’re about to jump into a rabbit hole of reading these incredible articles, don’t worry, we feel the same way. ;)

That’s why students x students is the place for getting your voice heard!

Sounds interesting? Why not join us on this epic journey?

students x students

Winner Announcement — I’m Not A Student Without…? was originally published in students x students on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hello, writers!
How’s your writing going?

We’ve brought something exciting to the students x students community — Writing Challenges! Something designed to spark your creativity and get your words flowing!

Every few weeks, we’ll be picking a unique theme and inviting writers to write a piece inspired by it✨

Our first writing challenge is a theme that truly connects us all: “I’m Not A Student Without____”

Being a student is a part of a person’s identity for a very long time. Shaped over years, this identity can’t be defined by just one thing; it encompasses so much.

From the excitement of the back-to-school shopping haul, chaotic classmates, caffeine overdose, and those good-bad habits throughout the year. ☕📚🎈

These little pieces are what make us “students.”

If even one of them were missing, our student life would feel incomplete. This challenge is to celebrate all those pieces!

Tell us about the little habits and routines, the irreplaceable people, essential objects, and even the feelings or quiet moments that truly make your student life.

Whether you want to make us laugh, cry, or think, express yourself any way you like. It can be a heartfelt essay, a funny anecdote, a diary entry, or even a poem!

There are no rigid boundaries — just raw perspectives!🎨

🧩 Challenge Details:

Title: I’m Not A Student Without…? — A Writing Challenge!
Subtitle: Your choice. Whatever best describes your story!

⏰Submissions Timeline: 15th Sept —15th October
🏆Winner Announcement: 16th October

(The submission deadline has been extended to give more students a chance to participate!)

Submission Guidelines:

Please go through these requirements before submitting your story!

• You must be a writer in our publication to participate.
  If you aren’t one yet, no worries! You can join us here.
• Follow our publication and the editors, Maha Khan, Afshin, and Haylee Griffith, and also tag them in your story.

students x students

• You must use both the “Students X Students” and “Enjoy Writing” tags in your submission story.
• Your story must have a featured image. Use the title and subtitle as specified.
• Make sure the estimated reading time is 3–5 minutes.
• No AI-generated content, please!

✍️Some Ideas To Get You Started!

Can’t think of anything? Take a look here to brainstorm some ideas:

• Do you have a specific routine or ritual that gets you up in the morning/ through a long school day? Like listening to music or having a morning beverage?
• Do you have something specific in your backpack or locker? A good luck charm or something sentimental you take with you every day?
• Do you have a favorite spot on campus where you always end up? Describe that place and why you choose to spend your time there.
• Talk about your favourite person: a best friend or teacher who lights up your day!
• How have you noticed you’ve changed as a student? What is important to you, and how do you overcome struggles? Reflect on your growth as a student.
• Tell us about your good and bad habits — the ones that stay with you throughout the school year.
• What are some things only you see about student life?

🧑‍🎓Why Join?

• Get a chance to be featured on our publication page!
• The challenge provides a beginner-friendly introduction to writing and can help you overcome writer’s block.
• Discover your voice as a writer beyond classroom rubrics.
• Improve your writing skills with helpful feedback from our editors.
• Connect with a community of fellow student writers.
• Be part of our mission to uplift and empower young writers!

We are so incredibly excited to kick off this new chapter of students x students with you all!

If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below! 📥

I’m Not A Student Without… — A Writing Challenge! was originally published in students x students on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Watching people’s lives online is unusually exhausting.
It leaves you with strange feelings of insecurity, mental drain, and just…self-pity.

*Opens LinkedIn*

Someone announcing their 10th AI hackathon, the 3rd app they’ve created, or their progress on their 7th research program.

*Looks at their average profile. Closes the app*

*Opens Instagram*

Friends enjoying the vacations of their life, people capturing perfect shots and moments.

*Ugh! Closes the app*

*Opens WhatsApp*

“Hey! Sorry I couldn’t reply; I was at this seminar — “

*Throws the phone away*

The strange feelings start to resurface. Self-Doubt.

This isn’t about feeling jealous of others; in fact, it isn’t really about those other people at all.

It is a deep human feeling — the sense that everyone else has gone ahead and I’ve been left behind.

It is the feeling that maybe I didn’t have that head start or opportunity, or perhaps the nagging thought that I didn’t work hard enough to achieve something truly significant.

The self-doubt devil whispers: “Others have achieved so much, and yet here you are!”

Those whispers gradually give way to self-doubt, and then that self-doubt begins to question your very worth.

Your mind races with so many questions, doubts, and comparisons that.. for a moment, all that you’ve done starts to lose its value, as if it will never be enough.

Your average note-taking app looks useless compared to someone’s real-world problem-solving app.

Your written work looks like a waste of time compared to a published author or a freelancer.

Your hobby feels stupid after seeing someone with a well-established YouTube channel on it.

These thoughts are undeniable.

But then something strange happens.

Someone younger or newer asks you for advice.
Someone compliments what you’ve built.

Someone looks at your work and finds it worth admiring…

Now you realize you aren’t “behind”; you simply look different depending on where you’re standing.

The situation is the same; it's still comparison, but the feeling is different.

Comparison only feels good when you’re superior.

When you think freely — liberated from the trap of inferiority and constant comparison— you realize the issue isn't that everyone else simply has better opportunities than you.

The issue is that you don’t get to see the behind-the-scenes of everyone’s highlights. Just like others can’t see yours.

The hours of coding, fixing bugs, and testing don’t make it to a LinkedIn post. Nor do the rejected pitches and deleted drafts appear next to published work.

Closing Thoughts:

If you stand on one of the steps and look up, you will see so many more steps ahead that you will forget the ones you climbed hard.

The admiration you have for a person today has been earned through years of standing in the same place where you are right now.

And perhaps someday, someone will look at you with the same admiration and wonder: “How did they get so far?” (then you will know how)

📖If you enjoyed this…

You might enjoy reading The Modern Deception — a publication that explores assumptions, habits, and beliefs that shape modern life through thoughtful essays and observations.

No quick fixes. No productivity hacks. Just ideas worth thinking about.

👉Subscribe to the Substack newsletter!

We are finally on social media.. Come say hi…

Subscribe and follow our official social handles on Instagram | X | Facebook.

Feel free to mention / tag us on these social platforms whenever you want to promote or collaborate on your content. We love watching you grow with this community.

This story published on “Pen With Paper” — a fresh space where writers bring their thoughts, stories, and ideas to life. Want to share your voice? Join our community, and together, “We Elevate Your Stories”

Pen With Paper Submission Guidelines 2026 : A Brand New Way to Be Added as a Writer

Why Does Everyone Else Seem Ahead? was originally published in Pen With Paper on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We used to listen to WhatsApp voice notes at a leisurely pace, but today, we can barely tolerate it at anything slower than 1.5x.

The 2x speed button has always existed on YouTube, yet it is being used now more than ever before.

We have reached a point where we can’t resist pressing the screen to watch Instagram Reels at 2x.

It’s not that humans have suddenly developed the ability to process information faster, nor are we on the verge of missing a train.

We are simply in a rush — an unnecessary rush. There is an increased discomfort with things taking their natural amount of time.

But why is that so?
The answer to this question isn’t just ruined attention spans, but our changing relationship with time.

The Compression Of Time

The habit of speeding things up — whether content, talking, eating, or walking — is tied to our perception of time as insufficient. We increasingly behave as though time is running out faster than usual.

There is an irresistible urge to squeeze more and more tasks into a shorter time frame. Whether it’s sustainable or not, we want to complete things faster.

Seeing posts on social media like “time has been on 2X since 2020,” “life isn’t the same after COVID,” and “The year is halfway finished already?” further reinforces this perception.

This constant sense of urgency points towards something deeper: human impatience. Over time, we seem to develop a new baseline for what normal speed is. Anything slower than that feels like a lot of work. Patience and tolerance diminish, and no amount of time seems to matter.

When Normal Became Slow:

This new baseline of normal is no longer limited to just speeding up content. Rather, we are conditioned to carry this constant hurry in other parts of life as well.

This can be seen in how someone talking or working slowly immediately frustrates us, even if we are not in a hurry. It’s not their slowness, but our expectation to receive information faster that even a few extra minutes spent feel disappointingly long.

It’s not that the world has become faster, but our tolerance has decreased.

Consumption Over Experience:

In this race to be quick, genuine experience often gets left far behind.

There is so much content in the world that it would take trillions of years to consume it all. This abundance of content — combined with the constant barrage of ads and video clips — makes a person feel like they are lagging.

This creates a quiet sense of FOMO, pushing individuals to consume everything that comes their way. And since the human biological clock is limited to 24 hours, people cannot keep up with this pace; thus, they resort to speeding things up.

It doesn’t matter whether the information was absorbed or if any real experience was gained; the task is simply marked as ‘done’ after a glance.

The “streak” feature on the Duolingo app is one example. You can rush through a quick lesson without learning anything, just to keep the streak alive.

It is much like listening to a TV show or a podcast at 2x speed; whether there is any real benefit matters less than satisfying impatience and the need to compress time.

Closing Thoughts:

There is never just a single reason when something quietly becomes a part of human life; the underlying causes are often deep-rooted in our subconscious.

Playing videos on 2X is seemingly justified as a way to ‘save time’, but the real reason may not be simply that, but our fractured relationship with time itself.

Time is like water; it cannot be stopped from flowing. Therefore, fretting over it slipping away is a waste; what is truly necessary is to question how this constant attempt to save time is affecting how we use it.

If you enjoyed this…

You might enjoy reading The Modern Deception — a publication that explores assumptions, habits, and beliefs that shape modern life through thoughtful essays and observations.

No quick fixes. No productivity hacks. Just ideas worth thinking about.

👉Subscribe to the Substack newsletter!

We are finally on social media.. Come say hi…

Subscribe and follow our official social handles on Instagram | X | Facebook.

Feel free to mention / tag us on these social platforms whenever you want to promote or collaborate on your content. We love watching you grow with this community.

This story published on “Pen With Paper” — a fresh space where writers bring their thoughts, stories, and ideas to life. Want to share your voice? Join our community, and together, “We Elevate Your Stories”

Pen With Paper Submission Guidelines 2026 : A Brand New Way to Be Added as a Writer

Why Has Normal Speed Started To Feel Slower? was originally published in Pen With Paper on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

It's finally time.
The train has come.

Outwardly calm, yet terrified deep inside.
Today, I am traveling by train for the first time.

How will I manage this?

My parents are with me — for now.
Carrying my luggage, handling my affairs — one last time.

After that, I must board the train — completely alone.
There is excitement, and nervousness too.

The station is crowded,
yet I stand still.

Noise — there is so much noise:
Of farewells, of weeping, of joyful laughter,
And of the trains rushing swiftly by.

People are boarding and deboarding,
some alone and some with their families.

Ah, family!

Until now, I had always traveled with family,
in our own car.
When the destination was known, and the journey was peaceful.

But today,
there is no family,
there is no car.

Today, I must board a train,
among strangers,
and face what my destiny holds.

Now, it's time.
My train has come.

But this train is nothing like our car; it is very crowded,
there are so many people.

Its color is ugly; the seats are rigid,
it doesn’t even have my favorite cushion.

And where is my seat?

It’s time to leave;
my parents bid me farewell.

They pat my shoulder gently.
They are silent, yet I can hear their words — like a whisper:

“Take care of yourself; now you must build your future.”

(Was I ever meant to build a future of my own?)

I am heading towards the train;
should I look back one last time?
No — they will think I’m afraid; they will worry.

Did I only realize all this after a lifetime of troubling my parents?

I have boarded the train.
Now, there is only the path ahead.

The doors have closed.
I can still see them through the glass.

I want to watch them a little more.

The train is moving now—
it won’t wait for anyone’s peace of mind.
You need to keep up.

Clack, clack, clack — and now my parents are many steps away.
They have been left far behind,
and soon, they vanish from sight.

It’s just me, my sky, and the sun shining — 
shining with such splendor.

I glance at the people on the train,
my new neighbours.

They are humans,
just like me,
yet they are odd and unfamiliar.

There is a young man beside the window,
staring outside.
And an old man in the cabin,
he is also staring outside.

What journey are they setting out on?

Everyone seems so busy;
they are lost in their thoughts.

Maybe they are just as confused as I am

I lean my head against the side of the train, then sit down after a while;
I can’t sit among those strangers just yet.

The scenery outside is changing faster and faster.

Was it that easy? Then why was it so difficult?

I close my eyes, and a single warm tear trickles down.
Not out of fear, nor in sorrow — 
but to mark the commencement of a new journey.

Come what may, I must continue the journey.
For life has given me a chance.

🌸Preeti Pathak🌸Sriram Yaladandi Rishita Sharma💗

If you enjoyed this…

You might enjoy reading The Modern Deception — a publication that explores assumptions, habits, and beliefs that shape modern life through thoughtful essays and observations.

No quick fixes. No productivity hacks. Just ideas worth thinking about.

👉Subscribe to the Substack newsletter!

This story is part of Beyond the Object — A Metaphor Writing Challenge by Pen With Paper. This is an invitation to look beyond the surface, discover the metaphor hidden in the ordinary, and write the story only you can see. Find the prompt here:

Beyond The Object: A Metaphor Writing Challenge

We are finally on social media.. Come say hi…

Subscribe and follow our official social handles on Instagram | X | Facebook.

Feel free to mention / tag us on these social platforms whenever you want to promote or collaborate on your content. We love watching you grow with this community.

This story is published on “Pen With Paper” — a fresh space where writers bring their thoughts, stories, and ideas to life. Want to share your voice? Join our community, and together, “We Elevate Your Stories”

Pen With Paper Submission Guidelines 2026 : A Brand New Way to Be Added as a Writer

Beyond The Object — A Metaphor Writing Challenge was originally published in Pen With Paper on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In my earlier article, I described escapism as an invisible drug — addictive, comforting, and quietly consuming. It can slowly drift a person away from reality.

But that raises a serious question.
If escapism is so destructive, why do we keep returning to it?

Escapism is no less than a drug.

The answer to this question starts with understanding what escapism means.

What Actually Is Escapism?

Escapism is the human tendency to seek distraction from the stresses, tension, and problems of daily life.

It is taking a mental break from life's unpleasant realities and getting lost in your thoughts.

Though usually associated with it, escapism is not limited to daydreaming.

Forms of Escapism:

In its broader definition, escapism includes any activity or habit a person uses to avoid reality.

Occupying yourself with physical activity to avoid overthinking, blasting music to distract yourself, mindless scrolling, and excessive binge-watching — all these are also forms of escapism.

There are different ways for an exhausted mind to find a safe corner.

Is escapism a mental illness?
No, it’s not. It’s a universal human behaviour.

It is simply the brain’s way of protecting itself from stress, overload, emotional pain, and exhaustion. It’s a natural human habit to avoid difficult situations.

Taking a break from a stressful situation by distracting your mind isn’t harmful: on the contrary, it can be beneficial.

For example, quietly reading to relax the night before an important meeting can be helpful.

This can help you make better decisions by giving you mental space between cognitive tasks.

So, when exactly does this become a problem?

Escapism becomes destructive when it becomes maladaptive — meaning when it is no longer a mental break and instead starts to create more problems.

When you don’t do it occasionally, but rather as your primary response to every difficult situation, it stops being a choice and becomes a habit.

This is where the problem starts.
Comfort starts to become a cage.

Escapism starts becoming a substitute for reality — whenever you face problems and harsh circumstances.

Real life starts to feel dull, urging you to immerse yourself more and more in the fantasy you have created.

Mental breaks meant to calm you are replaced by habits like scrolling or binge-watching, leaving you even more exhausted.

The longer you escape, the harder it becomes to come back to reality.

Why Do Humans Escape?

Despite knowing the harm it causes you, you can’t stop.

Why?
Because reality is uncomfortable.
And humans instinctively want to avoid discomfort.

Reality is hurtful and demanding.
It is an endless chain of bills, expectations, difficult choices, emotional pain, and uncertainty.

Humans aren’t just exhausted physically but also mentally and emotionally. At some point, they don’t feel strong enough to fight the problems life keeps throwing at them.

So, they choose to escape.
They immerse themselves in a place where it feels less demanding.

Delusion feeds you what you want.
It never demands.
It provides all the comfort and warmth you want.

The Worlds We Create:

We create and escape into our own fictional worlds — whether through books, games, or daydreaming.

But there is a pattern in it.

We never escape to something we already have; instead, we fantasize about everything we wish we had.

Imagination is the mirror of true desires. In the world we create, we are everything, we have everything, and we can do everything.

That is why we don’t feel like leaving such a place.
In fact, we want to be lost in such thoughts again and again.

Can We Ever Escape Escapism?

“When everything can feel so nice by just closing your eyes, why not let it be? Just for some time?”

This is the trade escapism offers.

Despite knowing how much it costs, people continue to escape. That’s why I associated escapism with “drugs”

One uses chemicals, and the other uses thoughts, to serve the same purpose: making real life lose its color.

Like any addiction, escapism can’t be given up in a single day.
The habit that has brought comfort can’t be avoided easily.

Instead of avoidance, there should be confrontation.
Confront the reason that made imagination appear more captivating than reality in the first place.

Humans don’t escape when they are engaged in something meaningful or enjoying their company.

When reality feels good, you will find yourself living it.

Escapism is not the search for delusion. It is often a response to reality.
Humans escape to avoid reality.

Overcoming escapism is less about resisting thoughts and more about changing your relationship with reality.

Perhaps building a life you won’t run away from — a life worth fighting for, despite all struggles.

Closing Thoughts:

We are not meant to battle life constantly. Bills, chores, relationships, decisions, uncertainty, and all that we face every day do drain us.

We need rest. We do require little breaks from time to time.

What matters is the kind of break we choose.

A healthy escape soothes the mind, relaxes the body, and recharges us mentally and physically to better deal with life.

Life cannot be lived running away from life

It must be dealt with — but with a serene mind.

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Pen With Paper Submission Guidelines 2026 : A Brand New Way to Be Added as a Writer

The Quiet Addiction Of Escapism was originally published in Pen With Paper on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Manifesting a heartfelt evening with your loved ones,
when they are far away,
Immersed in your own delusion.

Picturing yourself in a warm and nice place,
when the place around you isn’t so nice anymore.

Smiling at a future that hasn’t arrived yet,
because the path to it is tough.

Creating a false safe space in your head,
when the heart gets narrow.

Imagining divine ways to escape from difficult situations,
while shivering with fear.

Sitting in a corner,
rubbing feet anxiously,
and wrapping your arms around.
Closing your eyes and wishing everything to be okay.

This is escapism.

This isn’t supposed to be scary.
Instead, it’s comforting.
But it’s addictive!

On the surface, there is no harm.
Just some human thoughts in a lone space.

It doesn’t seem harmful, and that’s why it’s the most destructive.
It is a slow poison for the brain—a drug.

A drug that can’t be seen — but tastes ethereal.
Consuming slowly and quietly.

It arises through trauma,
forms a habit,
and soon becomes a coping mechanism.

It quietly disguises itself as comfort, hope, and harmless imagination, convincing you that escaping reality is just finding peace.

It makes you believe you are at peace,
when you are only in denial.

Escapism never solves problems; it worsens them.
The problems remain where they are, waiting to be solved.

Meanwhile, the person keeps moving farther from reality, choosing temporary comfort over the difficult truth, again and again.

It starts consuming life like a termite.

It silences the truth to be heard,
the difficult decisions to be made,
the brave steps to be taken,
and the uncomfortable realities to be confronted.

This is the price of escapism. It doesn’t just waste time — it wastes life.

It slowly takes you away from the real world.
Real life starts to feel dull, urging you to immerse yourself more and more in the fantasy you have created.

The longer you escape, the harder it becomes to come back to reality.

It doesn’t always take walls or chains to imprison a person.
Often, one’s own thoughts become one’s worst prisons.

But why do we escape?

Because imagination never demands.
It welcomes us exactly as we are — never tells us we’re wrong.

Reality, however, does.

It always asks something from us: to make difficult choices, bear pain and consequences, and face uncertainty.

The brain instinctively wants to avoid frustration
It wants everything to be nice and warm.
It doesn’t want that trauma, noise, arguments, and feuds.

It wants peace.
And when it can’t,
It finds escape.

YOU find escape.

Choosing comfort every day, even if it costs a heavier burden tomorrow.

You must resist.
Because…

زندگی سے بھگ کر زندگی نہیں جی جا سکتی
(Life cannot be lived running away from life.)

If you enjoyed this…

You might enjoy reading The Modern Deception — a publication that explores assumptions, habits, and beliefs that shape modern life through thoughtful essays and observations.

No quick fixes. No productivity hacks. Just ideas worth thinking about.

👉Subscribe to the Substack newsletter!

We are finally on social media.. Come say hi…

Subscribe and follow our official social handles on Instagram | X | Facebook.

Feel free to mention / tag us on these social platforms whenever you want to promote or collaborate on your content. We love watching you grow with this community.

This story published on “Pen With Paper” — a fresh space where writers bring their thoughts, stories, and ideas to life. Want to share your voice? Join our community, and together, “We Elevate Your Stories”

Pen With Paper Submission Guidelines 2026 : A Brand New Way to Be Added as a Writer

Escapism is no less than a drug. was originally published in Pen With Paper on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

One day, you are crafting your best writing piece, articulating your thoughts clearly, and quoting great ideas.

And then comes a day when you can’t even write one good sentence.
The pen feels heavy.
Ideas don’t absorb.
Thoughts don’t articulate.
Words seem empty.

Suddenly, that great mind that once produced extraordinary articles has gone blank.

Everyone knows what it is: all writers are familiar with this feeling.
“It’s just writer’s block!”

But has anyone ever questioned why it happens?
When does it happen?

There has to be some reason, pattern, or trigger for it.
There is.

Writing Slump is A Life Slump:

You might write for hours in an isolated room.
In silence and loneliness.
But you won’t be able to do it for long.

At some point, words won’t come together, and ideas won’t form.

A writing slump can make you believe you’ve lost all your creativity — that you’ve somehow become incapable of creating something good.

Why does this happen?
If you had great ideas before, why not now?

Perhaps the mind doesn’t have enough material left to form new ideas.

Ideas don’t form out of absolutely nothing.
They form through experiences, observations, reflections, and conversations.

Every interaction you have,
every sentence you read,
and every story you hear.
Each raw experience you live forms connections in the brain — linking with previous memories to create something new.

You need to live life to form these connections.

Living life doesn’t necessarily mean extraordinary adventures — it means staying curious, noticing small things, reflecting and thinking deeply.

How will the brain form new ideas — when it hasn’t experienced anything new for a long time?

Closing Thoughts:

As I always say, there is only one topic to write about: “Life”.

If you are lifeless, so will be your words.
To write more about life, you have to fill life with something worth writing about.

A writer is someone who truly lives life rather than merely passing through it.

Did I write this story during a writing slump?
No, I realized it during the slump.
I didn’t overcome it by forcing myself to write; I overcame it by returning to life.

A slump doesn’t mean we have become bad writers — but that we’ve stopped feeding our minds with what it needs to be creative.

That Writing Slump Is Actually A Life Slump was originally published in Write Your World on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Books open doors to new beginnings, embark you on exciting journeys, and introduce new corners of life.

But some books are never meant to end with the last page…
…they leave an impact behind.
An impact so deep that you never think about life the same way again.

It’s Abdul Samad Khan’s book Markhor: In The Search Of Unseen that has left a similar impact on me.

Maybe it’s not the book—but the spirit of Markhor etched into this story.

What The Book Is About?

The book follows the story of four young students of different social, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Carrying their emotional baggage and struggles, they embark on a trip for a university project.

However, their trek in Northern Pakistan proves to be a chance for them to discover their identity.

What’s All About Markhor?

Markhor is a wild goat found in the rugged mountains of South Asia. It is the national animal of Pakistan.

The author depicts Markhor as a symbol of resilience, leadership, and self-identification in the story. The animal’s physical traits are related to the character’s spiritual qualities.

Despite facing setbacks, injuries, and hitting rock bottom during their trip, the friends carry on their journey, not giving up on their mission — resilient like Markhor, who climbs vertical steep hills even in the harshest winter.

Nature, Silence, and Reflection:

The core of the book explores the intense connection between nature and self-reflection.

I only had one mountain trip in my life, back in the golden days of 2019 when I was merely 12 y/o.

A family trip to Shogran — that was the first time I saw snow-capped mountains, waterfalls, and greenery as far as I could see.

Though I can’t go on another trek any sooner. It doesn’t mean I can’t feel the peace of nature.

I can feel it.
In the silence of morning walks in parks
Amid the noise by the seashore
Even while walking through the mangroves park in the dazzling heat.

Wild nature is where you listen to the external silence and your internal noise.

The magic of nature is that there is no magic — just silence and space. Something we don’t usually get in the everyday in our fast-paced lives.

What’s your ultimate goal to achieve?
And what have you done for it till now?

Answers to such questions demand contemplation of life.

And our daily hustle and bustle doesn’t even allow such questions to come to mind, let alone find their answers.

That’s why an escape to nature is necessary, so you don’t escape from your existence.

So, did they find the Markhor?

Well, no, they didn’t.

But is that the end? Also no.

The ending wasn’t about one picture of a Markhor.
It wasn’t about Hafsa’s happy reconciliation with her family.
It wasn’t just about Chris and Zainab’s contentment with their faith.

It was about their young hearts finding their direction in life.

What the Book Forces You to Think:

The story doesn't end when you close the book.
It lingers in your mind once you start asking:

What’s my purpose in life?
What will I leave behind if I leave this world today?

If you don’t have an answer to this question, then there is something missing in your life that you need to find.

Thank you, Abdul Samad Khan!

This book introduced me to new ideas, thoughts, and your wonderful initiative.

Books don’t transform a person overnight. They stick in the readers’ minds, affect their hearts daily, and eventually make a drastic change in one’s personality.

“I will choose the possibility of success over the certainty of failure.”

Self-Discovery Through The Lens Of was originally published in Be Open - Writers & Readers Pub on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.