Tick tock. This ticking of an analog clock is more commonly known as the soundtrack to many of our lives. From the moment Cal became a reality, it seems as if many of us have been thrust into a race that has no foreseeable end.
As students, we are trained to deal with living in a heightened sense of anxiety toward events occurring in the future. Whether that is cranking out work in order to meet a deadline, studying for a midterm as if our futures depended on this sole test or, ultimately, attempting to come up with post-graduation plans, our focus tends to lie everywhere but the present.
Of course, this is understandable. Stress can be overwhelming but necessary if anything is ever going to get done. It is that stomach-churning feeling that gets people to finally start writing that paper worth a third of their total grade hours before it is due. However, the constant anticipation in regards to the imminent can be detrimental to our present happiness.
Sometimes, during the most insignificant and mundane days, I am awakened. On a rare day, my usual walk toward the Hearst Memorial Mining Building past the Campanile is colored by a moment of enlightenment in which I realize I go to the University of California, Berkeley. UC Berkeley. Suddenly, I relive a shadow of the excitement I felt when I first was admitted to this institution. It is exhilarating. I am filled with abounding gratitude. Unfortunately, just as unexpectedly as that moment comes, it flees as I am confronted with worries and difficulties of the day, muddling my previous state of thankfulness.
As we progress further and further into our college careers, it is easy to forget the amazing opportunity we have been given to study at this institution. While anxiety concerning the coming days is unavoidable, a more active mindset must be adopted in order to recognize the beauty of the present.
Even before the beginning of our college career, Time was deemed as the enemy. However, that does not have to be true. Although Time may be an unwelcome reality of our lives, there really is no rush. Eventually, we will all finish the race — that is, our time at Cal. While donning a graduation cap and gown, some graduates will walk across that stage with the utmost pride. Other graduates will be clouded with a feeling of regret as they wonder where the time has gone, when in actuality, they were the ones that ran the race too quickly, always looking ahead, forgetting that this day will come for everyone.
In the midst of worrying about building up that resume, figuring out next semester’s schedule, or wondering how you will possibly endure another hour of lecture, remember the reality of the present. Adopting a spirit of thankfulness will make tasks seem not so life-altering because, really, they are not. Take a deep breath and live in the present; enjoy the race. It is good practice because there are many more to come.
Image Source: micurs via Creative Commons
Monica Mikhail contemplates the truth of the matter in her Wednesday blog. Contact Monica Mikhail at [email protected].