As college students, it can seem like we never get a break. Every day brings a new exam, paper, or bill for the exorbitant cost of our textbooks. As members of Greek organizations, our schedules are even more busy with exchanges, philanthropies and chapter meetings. Some days it feels like I am a little wind-up doll that just keeps going and going until I finally get into bed at night, only to be awoken the next day by an alarm that seems to keep going off earlier and earlier. With all the responsibilities that plague my mind, I often feel drained and glum. One of the things I’ve struggled with all my life is thinking positively; it feels so much easier just to be cynical. But no one ever accomplished great things by being negative. Here are some ideas I try to live by to keep me thinking positively.
When I was young my mom taught me the Serenity Prayer. For those of you that don’t know it, it goes like this:
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.
I try to apply the prayer to my every day struggles. If I am worried about having two papers due on the same day, I think, “What do I control in this situation? How can I change it to make me less anxious?” Sometimes, that means I have to rearrange my weekend so I can get one of the papers done early. Or I consult with a sister who has taken the same class before to see what advice she can give me to make the writing process easier.
You would be surprised at the amount of things that you actually have control over. Upset because you didn’t understand what your professor was lecturing about in class? Go to their office hours, and if you can’t make those, email them. Even if you can’t control the situation, you can change how you react to it. Take a couple of deep breaths and remember that it is not the end of the world.
I am really bad at asking for help. I always want to be independent or often don’t realize that I need help until it’s too late. We are lucky enough to be surrounded by dozens of people who support us, many of whom have probably been in the same circumstances before. Sometimes a fresh perspective is all you need to make your situation seem more manageable. Once, I was stuck while writing a philosophy paper and was complaining to my best friend. She knows very little about philosophy, but just by scanning through the Wikipedia article on John Locke she was able to make a suggestion that spurred some great ideas in my brain. Successful people rarely get to where they are without getting some help along the way.
Realize your true worth. You are a rockstar. You are doing so many things that other people wish they could do. Recognize that. Congratulate yourself when you do a good job. Refer to yourself as “master” or “goddess.” Get rid of anyone in your life who doesn’t make you feel like a boss. We are trained to believe that being proud of ourselves makes us egocentric or vain. There is a difference between thinking highly of yourself and thinking only of yourself.
Do something that makes you laugh every day. Whether that is texting a particularly funny friend, watching a quick video on YouTube, or even thinking of a fun memory, it’ll make you happier. Even though we may be stressed and tired, we are so lucky, and remembering that will make your hectic day a little easier.
