Senior Editor
So randomly, out of the blue, and with no general warning I was hit with the realization that I am more than halfway through my undergraduate career.
Not only was this a very offsetting thought, but it got me thinking. Where did the time go? I remember when I was a wee little high school senior eagerly (and somewhat nervously) looking at schools, contemplating my future in college and my first time away from home.
Now I am a junior with a general life plan and 2.33 years of college behind me and it seems as if there was so much less time between the two points than there is in reality.
When looking at the disparity between my perceived timespan and the reality that is time, I tried to figure out what may have caused this. Was it the coursework, damage done by weekend endeavors, or some mysterious time loop the laws of physics have yet to understand or explain?
No, none of these could be blamed in full for my predicament; Though I’m sure they played somewhat of an active role (sans the time loop, to the best of my knowledge). What I came to understand as the biggest contributor to my college career flying past me is the mentality of always looking to the future and never enjoying the moment I am in.
If any of you read that last sentence and think, “Wow, good thing I am not like that,” you are most likely lying to yourself. So accept it and let’s move on.
We as Americans place a humongous emphasis on the next best thing or what’s coming up and never pause to look at what we have and enjoy it. (It’s why the rest of the world hates us as the greedy Americans). This goes for everything from iPhones to even time itself. We always want what’s next and not what’s now.
For example, when I am in class I sit there and watch the seconds ticking away praying to be free and to move on to the next thing. While this seems logical, it begs the question: Why can’t I just enjoy the opportunity I have to be there? There are people all over the world that would love the opportunity to take a class at F&M and receive an education, but we as students consistently overlook the privilege and even wish it away in many cases.
The biggest wish of students come Monday: “I cannot wait for the weekend.” We cannot wait to throw away five good days with the potential to be great and provide lifelong memories just to have the one day of freedom and debauchery at the end of it, which quickly passes in a blur of excitement and the cycle begins again.
It is this wish to be on to the next activity whether it is the end of class or the end of the week that allows us as Americans, especially college students, to miss out on the opportunities around us.
There is plenty of potential throughout the week to make the best of the time we have. Instead of relegating fun to the weekend, entertainment can be found no matter what day of the week it is.
Start this new adventure of optimism by going to campus events. There are a number of great events getting ignored because they don’t fall on the weekend and everyone is so focused on the future that they miss things going on around them.
My suggestion to everyone, including myself, is to slow down, enjoy the here and now, and capitalize on the daily opportunities you would otherwise ignore in your mad dash for the future. Carpe diem tempus fugit.
Questions? Email Justin at jkozlosk@fandm.edu.