Questions like, “What is your major” or “What do you plan on doing when you are done with school” or “How long until you get your degree?” put me into a mental space that I work really hard to steer clear from.
Those of you who have read my articles know that I am a big fan of making conscious decisions in life. Everything from being aware of the movements of the mouth while chewing food to planning out the next few years of life. All things come alive to us if we can choose to be an active player in the process of making life happen.
When I am a part of the academic world, time and time again, I see my peers going through the motions as if courses are merely check marks for getting a degree that gets you a career. I watch as they stare at the clock and complain about how hard school is. I listen as others talk about their future careers as if it is their life today. They talk as if it were even realistic to understand our complex future desires, wants and needs.
When I see these mindsets playing out in others and in myself, I feel it is a waste of time. The reason it is a waste of time is because the only bit of reality we have is the moment we are sitting in right now. Ten minutes ago is over and tomorrow has not yet happened, so why waste our precious time right here and now mulling over our regrets of the past or the idea that we will finally be happy when we get our degree, dream job, spouse, pay off our debts, etc.
I am not giving a discredit to those who plan. I myself am a notorious planner. I am simply stating the importance of remembering why you are doing what you are doing.
Learning is one of the most precious things humans can take part in and if you are privileged enough to do so, do so! I enjoy expanding my mind by picking up a library book on a topic I have no roots in and creating new understandings. I enjoy approaching my college education in this same manner.
Unfortunately, when folks begin questioning where I see myself in five years with my degree, it snaps me out of the bliss of learning as a means itself and into a world where learning is a means to an end, to a career.
Sure, take care of yourself, plan for a career, but don’t get so lost in the planning that you forget to live your life today.
Spend some time alone with yourself. Ask what you would enjoy learning and go get it! College is expensive. If you aren’t there to learn, why are you there? Ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing and for whom are you doing it? If you are making big life choices for other people, it may be time to rethink what you are doing. I often entertain ideas about how I would live my life today if I knew I only had six months left to live and then I see what I can do to make those things happen.
If you were given six months left to live, how would you be living today?
