Friday. The beloved end to a work week for most. A time to sit back, relax and spend time with friends. Or a time to go out into the city, a night at the beach, a drive-in movie, you name it, you can do it on Friday because you don't have to wake up the next morning and go to school or work. It’s the start of the weekend, the three days that you have all to yourself and can stay up as late as you please, not finishing up a boring work project or doing Calculus homework until midnight. It’s enjoyable, no doubt, to have these days to take a step back from working hard all week and be able to do whatever you want, even if that means doing absolutely nothing.

But are we missing out on anything when we count down to Fridays?

I turn the car on and start driving to school. Halfway up my street, I turn the radio on. *Insert radio broadcaster voice* “Hey everyone, this is Matty from Matty in the morning. It’s a lovely day here in the greater Boston area. I hope you all are having a wonderful morning. We are commercial free for two hours this morning! Thanks for listening to us on morning commute and remember, only two more days until Friday!” Now for me, I would hear that at 6:30 every morning with the only variation being the number of days, greater or smaller. Don't get me wrong. I love Fridays, but within the past year or so, I’ve come to the conclusion that we need to live in the present. I know that writing this isn't going to change the way people think and that the radio broadcasters will continue to count down the days, but I decided to make a personal and positive change in my life that I encourage you to make in yours. This isn't me trying to tell you why you should change the way you see the school or work week. This is me telling you why I changed the way I saw mine!

For the math-oriented folks: the average life expectancy in America is 78.84 years. Let’s go crazy and give us 79 years. With 52 weeks in a year, there will be 52 Fridays, 52 Saturdays and 52 Sundays (we’re going to pretend that Sundays are enjoyable even though by like 5:00 p.m. people start groaning that they have to wake up wicked early the next day and actually function with other people, some of whom they don't like). Do the math, and that’s 156 weekend days in a year, 12,324 in a lifetime. The Monday-Thursday stats are as follows: 2,018 week days in a year, 16,432 in a lifetime. You're telling me that you want to spend 57 percent of your days wishing it were another day of the week. Do that and you'll be unsuccessful in whatever you want to accomplish in life, not to my or anyone else’s standards, but to your own. Only you know what drives you to wake up in the morning and go to work or school or wherever. You know what you want to accomplish in life and although it’s very easy to unintentionally and quietly push that goal aside, it’s unequivocally important to prevent yourself from doing that as well as to steer yourself back in the right direction if you do.

You have so much that you can do with your life. I’ve come to that conclusion over the past year and that’s the main reason why I’ve stopped counting down the days until Friday. I don't want to waste any time I have wishing for something I cant make happen. Would it be great if every day was Friday? Sure, but think about what you would accomplish. We work hard all week, pursuing our dreams and ambitions, and Friday comes around and we can have time to let loose and reward ourselves for our hard work during the week. Work hard for yourself, to make yourself proud. Don’t do it because you feel like you have to in order to “get through the week.” That mentality is harmful, to your profession, to your co-workers, friends, family and to yourself.

Live in the present. Take a moment and look around you, at the sky, the trees, your current environment. Appreciate the people and things you have in your life at this very moment. I guarantee you that you have a lot to be grateful for, whether that be that you are moving into college in less than two weeks to start a new chapter in your life, a new adventure, or maybe you’re starting a new job or quitting one that has made your life dull. Don't be afraid to make those changes in your life that will encourage you to live in the present and not to resent the work week. As awful as it is hearing your 6 a.m. alarm clock ring, when you finally climb into bed at 11 p.m., you want to be able to look back at all that you have accomplished that day and be proud of it.