(The Beacon)
By Luke Riela, Staff Commentary -- The Beacon
"I can't wait until summer."
"Why can't it be Friday already?"
"I just want this week to be over."
You probably read posts like this on Facebook or hear it during small talk.
Often, we zone out and think about the good times to come. I think about the summer, when I can go back home to see friends after months away. Or I picture the weekend – maybe I'll walk through the Taco Bell drive thru, and I'll be allowed to order this time. Whatever there is to look forward to, it seems better than now.
Finals are on the horizon and teachers have begun to pile on assignments to make sure we're still paying attention. Having to balance the increasing workload with a job can make the typical school week a complete drag. I wish I could just jump over all the work.
Anticipation is great, but what do we miss while daydreaming? Should three exams and two essays waste an entire week of our lives? And here I begin perhaps the most clichéd argument of all time: Live in the moment.
It's been said in thousands of proverbs. I'll be enlightened by one of those "live like it's your last day quotes" and then continue sleeping through class. All of us can enjoy time off, but it's much tougher to fully appreciate the days in between.
College is often remembered by our elders as their best days. Friday and Saturday only make up a fraction of that college experience. So many great memories are created during the week, but only the weekends get credit for being fun.
When you take a break from studying to have dinner with friends, don't worry about that big test tomorrow. Even if it's hard to delight in the food at times, enjoy the company. Although you may be stressed out of your mind, relish in the perks of college.
This advice isn't anything new, but a reminder never hurts. It is just so easy to get tangled up in waiting.
We napped and recessed our way through preschool in preparation for kindergarten. Then we went to kindergarten for grade school to get ready for middle school in order to attend high school. Then we struggled through AP courses, SATs and senior theses to receive that acceptance letter from UP.
It is natural to continue the process. Students go to UP so they can be employed afterward or so they can pursue a master's degree. This all builds up to getting that perfect job someday that pays enough so you can afford that dream house and car.
Maybe that day will come, thanks to a college education. However, that's not all college is good for. Looking ahead is essential, but so is standing in the present.
There will be a time when we've got a full-time job (hopefully) and a million things to worry about other than the present. For now, let's enjoy our days in college, however busy they may be.
UP students have no lack of fun, but weekdays have a way of getting to all of us. The next time you want to just teleport to the weekend, think of all the awesome stuff you'd be missing. Yeah, it's totally corny, yet it just might help.
Have a great Thursday!
Luke Riela is a freshman philosophy major. He can be contacted at riela14@up.edu.
(Ann Truong -- The Beacon)
