Are you already tired of going to classes? Do you find yourself dreading the day ahead from the moment your eyes open every morning? Maybe you do; maybe you don’t. It’s not something we are fully conscious of, but this morning negativity can be just the thing to provide for what will be a bad day.
The term ‘bad day’ is something we use frequently as if it is a product of consequences and situations that are beyond our control. Here is a common scenario: Mother: “How was your first day of classes, sweetie?” Son: “Uh…terrible. I hate my classes and my teacher is a moron.” Students’ perception of school and work varies, but one thing seems to be clear: students going into a course with a positive ‘can-do’ attitude do better than those dreading the course. Duh; Right? Well, I know that you might not have had your epiphany yet, but bear with me.
All this talk is to get those of you who are already forming negative attitudes about the semester to do away with your preconceived notions about classes and teachers. Take a deep breath and know that an 18 hour schedule is not going to change, so you can go into it with a frown or smile and try to enjoy the thing.
Have you ever heard of the self-fulfilling prophecy? What we expect to happen, in terms of our own effort, does happen. Do you remember when your kindergarten teacher told you, “Whether you think you can or cannot; you are right!” Well, I am here to remind you that this was true then, and still is today. Nothing good comes from dread and negativity, but you have the world at your feet when you take challenges on full force and don’t let road blocks get you down.
You are probably thinking, “Um…B-PAX is it? That’s cool and all, but I still have a million things to do this semester. Smiling or not, I just don’t know how to get it done.” My answer to that is: “Get organized and get happy.” I work hard and play hard. The best part of it all is that half of my work IS my play. I love my major and my classes. Am I a dork? Maybe, but I love my life and what I do. If none of this is helping, do me a favor and take a step back from your life. Are you at the school you want to be at? Are you in the department you want to be in? Are you doing what YOU want to do (in terms of your concentration/major)?
If positive thinking and a fresh look at your studies doesn’t help; ask yourself the hard questions that revolve around purpose and what you are working toward. If you can’t pinpoint it, meditate on it and find your passion. Passion comes from something deep within that drives each and every one of us forward. Without passion, life would be dull and gray. If life is dull and gray for you, then maybe you lost it somewhere down the road or never discovered it in the first place. The first step is unveiling your eyes of all the distractions, obstacles, and noise that blur the vision of yourself and a brighter future.
Once free from the chains of pessimism that continually sabotage success, experiment. Find what makes you excited, happy, cry and just feel something. Where to start? I know just the place….HERE! Find an organization that you identify with; get to know your professors in a course you’re interested in; make a friend that gets you excited about life; do something!
What I’m trying to say is, LIVE! You’re only here once and it will pass you by if you’re not careful. Grab on and enjoy the ride. It’s bumpy and you might get bruised, but time heals all things. Laugh harder than you ever have before and cry your eyes out. Just be conscious, alive, alert, and look forward to the day instead of dreading it. You know I love ya! Until next time…
Brent Paxton is a senior international relations and political science major. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
