Ebola…is standing…right…behind…you! Aaah! Just kidding, it’s not. But are you stressed now knowing that although I was joking that I in fact may not be joking? Good. Then the only way to cure yourself is to finish this article.
Though Ebola may not be the highest on the list of causes of stress for college students, stress is nonetheless a constant source of grief. Just thinking about all the papers, assignments, jobs and trying to schedule times to get wasted can drive any person insane. But the key to avoiding all that stress: Just chill out.
You are sweating all the wrong stuff. Life is always gonna suck. So why start early.
I can’t even count on 10 hands the number of people I’ve met with stringy hair and red eyes who talk about how they’ve been studying 10 hours for a simple vocab test worth 30 points. Who cares? Just look over your notes and do the best you can and you get what you get. Move on and enjoy life.
Unless it’s a paper worth 200 points you shouldn’t be worrying about every single assignment. Sure it’s awesome to get an A, but don’t lie and say you wouldn’t be happy with an extra few hours a week to just relax and ease your mind.
Do you think employers really care if you came in 25th in your class? Sure, that would be a great feat but unless you are first or second in your class it doesn’t matter what place you came in. And unless you know for a fact you are first in your class, then you are not first and you never will be.
Not to mention when you cram and shove as much in brain as you can that it doesn’t mean you’re smart. It means you’re a glorified order-taker. Your teacher says jump and you say how high. They say write 500 words and you write 3,000 and at the end scream “Like me!”
Just because you force yourself to learn something doesn’t mean you are learning something. If you don’t take time to actually think about what you’re learning you won’t have a clue about anything. Take time to stop and weigh the option of getting 25/25 on a simple test versus retaining your sanity. Choose wisely, there is a right answer
This is the only way you can truly achieve happiness while still doing good in school. We live in a country where, for some reason, it’s wrong to take time for ourselves and we should frown upon people who are eating pizza and watching Breaking Bad when they should be combing through their essay for the tiniest mistake as to not get 0.5 of a point taken off. In fact, this kind of laziness should be encouraged. These are the people who are happier than you.
Students think school is the end all be all of life. I bet there are a few PhDs working as janitors who will tell you different. What is important is maintaining a healthy, creative brain that is attained by giving it a break and indulging in what makes you smile and love life. So chill out.
Next time you’re nose deep in a text book at the back of the library at the time of night reserved for werewolves, a cup of coffee already ice cold and your hair smelling of whatever sauce splashed in there after eating Panda Express ask yourself: are you happy? If no, shut the book and put on some damn jammies and build a fort. Forts are awesome.
