Today I was having "one of those days." As I stood outside my room, which I had locked myself out of for the third time this week, I realized I was going to have to reevaluate my dinner plans. Without my I.D. that was in that room, I couldn't get into the cafeteria. First, I searched around the dorm building looking for an R.A., and then I temporarily gave up and watched Clifford with some friends. Finally, I had the bright idea to call public safety, who let me in. Dinner was over at that point, and I was really hungry, tired, and had no idea what to make. I had originally planned on having a big salad at the caf's salad bar, but that was out of the question now. I looked in the fridge and saw that I had eggs and some fresh vegetables. With the help of a 5 dollar microwave omelette maker from Wal-Mart, I made what I consider a "gourmet dorm meal." I ended up with a much tastier dinner than what I would have eaten at the cafeteria. Plus, I even got to catch an episode of my favorite childhood T.V. show, Clifford the Big Red Dog!

This is just one instance of where "life gave me lemons" this week, and I "made lemonade" out of it. Other times, it hasn't been so easy to do. Ever since my last cross country race, I've sustained two running injuries at once (just my luck) that have kept me out of practice. Most people who know me know that running is what keeps me sane. Let's just say that not being able to run has made me slightly less sane than usual. Add that to the mounds of work piled high by the nursing program and the stress of trying to do hip and foot rehab, not to mention the lack of sleep that is inevitable at this point in the semester. What you get is not a very happy combination. So what is a girl to do about it?

In the past I've coped with stress by becoming a workaholic. I knew I had an addiction to running and maybe chocolate too but working? Who gets addicted to that? Work isn't really enjoyable, but as long as I am constantly working, I feel more in control of my workload and my schedule. This means I am usually on top of my assignments, but other areas of my life often feel neglected. My social life has suffered a lot, (which is inevitable as a nursing major), but it got to the point last semester where I would do homework all night on Friday and Saturday nights and never take a day off. It would usually take me having a mental breakdown before choosing to do something fun or relaxing.

I can't say that I have completely given up my addiction--I still obsess over due dates and assignments. Unfortunately, some of that is to be expected, but I want my senior year of college to be different. This is the last time I'll be living with my friends on campus, and I want each day to count and not to be another work day. I want to live life, not just work through it.

I'm tired of waiting for the day that my senior year is over, that I graduate, that I pass the N-CLEX, that I get a job, that I move out, that I get in a relationship...the list goes on. I want to just be here, right now. I want to live Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to the fullest without putting life off until Friday. I want to have late night talks with my close friends, meet new people, enjoy the beautiful fall weather, spend time with my little sister before she grows up, and just be a 21 year old college kid! Our society is so focused on preparing for the future, that often we miss out on what is happening in the here and now. The future becomes that past in the blink of an eye, and we often miss out on the truly important things in life. I know that I cannot control my workload, or the amount of stress that others place on me, but I can make the decision that I won't succumb to the pressure. I won't leave the present behind in fear of the future.

Don't get me wrong--I am still going to work hard and put everything I have into my school work and my sport, but I am not going to let it consume me to the point that everything else gets neglected. Doing your best doesn't mean overdoing, it just means doing the job that needs to be done and putting the rest in God's hands. There is a point where too much is too much, and can even hurt your performance. I have definitely experienced this firsthand and trust me, it's not worth it. I've found that living day by day, doing things one thing at a time, and just breathing are the best ways to cope with the stress of life. Because life is about living--wherever you are--and not waiting for circumstances to change for you to be happy.

"This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."

-Psalm 118:24