Written by Julene
This section of the OPEEP newsletter, called “A Day in the Life,” is a space to share about the daily lives of students at our partner prison facilities. Our goal with the series is to demystify the everyday lives of incarcerated people and the spaces of prison. We believe that it is everyone’s responsibility to learn more about prisons and the people they house so that we can work against the harmful stereotypes that buttress our country’s carceral state and logics. So thank you for reading and sharing in this work!
Each contribution is written and shared by the student directly. There is some light editing for clarity and space.
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I wake to the sound of chatter off in the distance. I open my eyes and get my bearings, then glance at the clock to check the time. It is 6:45 a.m. on Monday. A song starts playing in my head, “It’s Gonna Be a Lovely Day” by Bill Withers. This melody will be running through my head all day. Much like every other morning, I usually wake to a tune that guides my day and rolls off my tongue sporadically.
I perform my morning ritual of brushing my teeth and getting refreshed for the day. I slip on my shoes and head out to the rec area to heat up some water for my morning cup of Joe. The sun is starting to peek out from behind the clouds, and the birds are chirping. It is going to be a lovely day. I grab my sweatshirt and schoolbook, Until We Reckon by Danielle Sered, and head off to my Peer Support job in Mental Health.
When I arrive at 8:00 a.m., I greet the ladies at the desk, and they buzz me in. I enter the Peer Support office and fill the diffuser with my favorite oils. The sweet aroma of lavender and sweet orange begins to fill the room. I pause to take a moment to say my daily prayers and thank God for all the blessings in my life. I ask for guidance and wisdom to help anyone who crosses my path today, and for the right words to calm and guide those seeking my support. I start out the door to check for anyone waiting to talk, but first, a sip of coffee.
After work at 10:00 a.m., I stop in the dining hall to pick up my iCare meal. iCare is food that family and friends can order for you. It is better quality than the meals served in the dining hall. I am blessed to have a very loving and supportive family at home. Not everyone is so fortunate, and that is humbling. Heading back to my cottage, I take note of the variations in colors of the pigeons walking about. Red and white, and black and white speckled, are the newest additions. The air is crisp, and that song rings through my head again. Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day. I arrive back in time for the 11:00 a.m. count and lay back to enjoy a half hour of light meditation and reflection.
By 11:30 a.m., I am dialing the phone to check in on my loved ones. After my morning calls, I do some reading and homework for my Ohio State University classes. I spend a couple of hours catching up and putting final touches on papers that need submitting. I also use this free time to gather information for the groups I will be facilitating this week, both in my cottage and in the Mental Health building. Once I have caught up, I usually heat up a portion of my meal. Today it is a steak and egg bowl, which is a favorite of mine. I savor every bite as I sit looking out the window, breathing in the fresh spring air. Indeed, it is a lovely day, and I am blessed to be experiencing all of it.
By the 4:00 p.m. count, I am ready for a quick nap so I can refresh for class. 5:15 comes quickly, and I am off to Control and Prevent Crime Delinquency, Sociology 4615. This is a space where I am no longer an incarcerated person. I am a fellow scholar among my classmates and a select group of Ohio State University students. This is the very best part of my day. Open discussions about politics, policy, and freedom dreaming for us and for future generations fill this space. It is where I am filled with wisdom and inspiration.
It is now 8:15 p.m., and I am enjoying a brisk walk under the starry sky. We do not often see the night sky inside these walls, so I take in every single star I can spot. In the distance, I can hear the night peepers singing me back to my cottage.
I walk through the door into my living area and begin preparing for my bedtime ritual. Count is at 9:00 p.m., then I head to the shower. My shower time also doubles as my wind down for the day. I take a moment to think through what tomorrow holds and release any tension or anxiety that may be lingering.
By the time I get to my bed, I am exhausted, but I have one more call to make to say goodnight. Now it is bedtime. I take a moment to reflect on all my blessings, offering prayers of thanks and protection for my loved ones. I pray they know they are my strength to persevere and to be the best version of myself that I can be.
Indeed, it has been a lovely day.