Dynamics. Funny how they work, right? Sometimes you end up being the centre of attention, and sometimes an ant on the floor gets more attention. Same face, same personality — different reactions. Funny how you were always popular in school, but once you stepped out of the guarded campus and the golden gates, the real world gives you a smack in the face and a taste of loneliness. First days of school can be bad — real bad. For those who can’t relate, picture this: you walk in, all excited, with a huge smile on your face and hilarious jokes in your head. Except, when you walk in, you get stares; when you open your mouth, you get eye rolls. You end up sitting alone at lunch — for a day, or maybe for a month. When everyone sits with their groups, laughing and smiling during free periods, you bury your head in a book and your feelings in your heart. It doesn’t stop there. Picnics, excursions, bus rides — everything that looks fun on the outside, you dread on the inside. Deep down, you know you’re fun, but no one can see that. You know all the latest songs, but no one wants to hear them. You know you’ll end up sitting alone, staring out the window, wondering about what ifs. That’s when it hits you — no matter how hard you try, groups and friendships are often rigid and unfair. All thanks to dynamics. There’s always a funny one, a pretty one, a confident one, and a smart one in group projects. Nope, not a coincidence — just dynamics. And no, I didn’t forget about the quiet one who often gets overlooked. We’ll talk about them later. Now, let’s move on to family. We love them, right? At least most of the time, when they aren’t acting out. We’re all aware of the perks younger siblings get and the trauma common to all the older ones. Why do parents seem to favour your siblings over you, you may ask? It’s a matter of perception — and again, dynamics. When you grab a coffee and take a moment to think about it, you realise it’s never really intentional. Maybe dynamics aren’t meant to be fair. Maybe someday, they’ll change the positions — and the quiet one will finally get the spotlight. Maybe someday