It's not a secret that life is stressful. We all wish it wasn't, but it is. As a college student, I find that I am juggling so much on a daily basis that sometimes it is just too overwhelming- there is not enough time in the day to do everything you want. And sometimes, the universe (or whatever you would like to think controls fate) does not allow us to have what we want, no matter how hard we want it or how much we work for it, or even how much we think we deserve it. As a college student, I also realize that I'm not dealing with even half of what life will eventually throw at me.
Yet sometimes, getting closer to being an adult instead of a child can suck.
Stress is inevitable in this go-go-go society. Americans are so work-oriented and so ruthlessly motivated that sometimes I find myself regretting taking a break or feeling bad for napping. I feel as though I am working constantly at whatever I am involved in, and even though many like to take things day-by-day, it's difficult not to look at the month or week ahead and not want to crawl under the covers and cry from frustration, or better yet, fall asleep and wish that when you awaken all of your responsibilities will be taken care of, but that is just not life. You can do that, but it won't help anything.
Yes, working hard can lead you to your goal(s) quicker. Motivation and being passionate about what you do can help speed the process along. Yes, what they expect of college students nowadays can be considered "way too much". I agree wholeheartedly. I also understand that the period of your life when you are in college is a make-it-or-break-it time and can set the stage for your professional career, but sometimes, you don't know what you want. Sometimes you think you do, and it changes in five minutes. One day the world seems unfair, the next you're the luckiest student on the planet. It all comes with the territory and it can be amazing as well as immensely confusing and challenging.
I find that the thing that keeps me going each day is optimism. I am a very glass-half-full type of person, and even when I am having the roughest day or things just do not seem to be going my way and I am 99% done with everything and everyone, there's that one percent of me that knows things cannot stay like this forever. Sometimes bad experiences lead to amazing opportunities, teach life lessons and can be truly eye opening, and other times unfortunate events can be exactly what they are: annoying bumps in the road that halt progress and growth, but everyone has them. No one is perfect, and everyone has a bad spell or an unlucky time or even complains about trivial things. It is helpful to remember that one person's "nothing" is someone else's "whole lot of something", and if you would rather not be judged, don't judge someone else. This will also help you feel as though the glass is half full rather than the alternative.
Mainly, it is a fact that sometimes life is unfair. Sometimes things do not go according to plan and no one can fix it, not even you. But it is not forever. Optimism in times of stress can be the biggest game changer. Fact: someone always has it better than you and someone always has it worse. Fact: you cannot control life all the time but you can control how you deal with it.
Suggestion: optimism, positivity, and trust.
