I’ve always been interested in knowing the things nobody tells you — or at least, the things not many people tell you. I hate feeling like I’ve missed a vital piece of advice that could have made something a lot easier, less stressful and frankly, just more enjoyable.
That being said, you already know that your time here will be the fastest four years of your life. You also already know that earning a college degree is hard work. I don’t need to tell you such things.
What I do need to tell you is to embrace every sleep-deprived, coffee-crazed, exam-cramming second of it.
You see, I have this sneaking, sinister suspicion that we’re all going to look back on these days and think that they happened to someone else. Or worse, you’ll awake one morning after graduation in full anticipation for your Monday morning trek to Bentley Hall, only to remember that you don’t even live in Athens anymore and that you should probably get to that job you spent four years working toward.
All of the early morning struggles, non-stop days and stressful late nights will too soon be a thing of the past.
So, I’m proposing that you make sure to take a minimum of one minute every day to just be here. With no other task, intention or thought, just concentrate on existing where you are — whatever that looks like.
It might look like taking a short walk around campus just to remind yourself to appreciate where you are. It might look like choosing to laugh at yourself for spilling coffee, rather than getting frustrated with yourself. Or, it might look like a short homework break of loud music and dancing as ugly as possible with your roommates. (Seriously, try this. I don’t care who you are.)
What I’m saying is, find out what things make you feel the most present in life and commit to cultivating the opportunities to do those things daily.
I know, I know. Essentially, I’m giving you the cliché “life is a journey” and “take life day-by-day” speech. (You can thank my mother’s loving influence for that. I see no point in trying to pass it off as anything else.) However, I’m also well-aware that there aren’t always roses to stop and smell along the way.
There are usually just piles of homework, overflowing laundry baskets and nothing but Ramen in the cupboard for dinner.
More often than not, you’re going to have to seek out the peaceful walks and ugly dancing parties yourself, and I’m here to tell you that that’s OK.
It’s good for you, and it’s good for future you.
April Jaynes is a senior studying journalism and anthropology. What do you value about being on OU’s campus? Email her at aj188310@ohiou.edu.
