So go ahead, get reading.
Okay, so you have a huge test coming up and you have to spend the next 48 hours in Carrier trying to study. But not only that, you have rush events the next two nights, a group meeting tomorrow, and you have to squeeze in Skyping your mom. And to top it all off, you just found out the cutie in your history class has a girlfriend. Whomp whomp whomp.
With this laundry list of things to do, you can do one of two things: have a complete mental breakdown (which may or may not include: hair pulling, hysterical crying, gulping down a box of Oreos, and/or pacing back and forth thinking “walking it off” will help), or step back from the madness and appreciate what comes easy in life: happiness. Okay, you’re right: I guess I can’t say all happiness comes easy in life. A lottery ticket for a billion dollars won’t mysteriously appear in your calculus book or your crush in history class won’t break up with his girlfriend because he’s suddenly fallen in love with you. But there are some things that are more likely to ease the fifty pound load on your back if you just take a second to notice them.
Trust me: I’m the same stressed out, bummed out, and freaked out college student, just like everyone else on campus. So, naturally, I was driving home from campus today in the absolute worst mood ever. I was going down the list of things I still had to do, all while sneezing and coughing from this confusing valley weather. While I was mentally cussing out innocent drivers, I noticed that I was already on Port Republic Road without hitting one red light. I kept driving past the Outpost and made it all the way to South View without stopping once. Okay seriously, how many times has that happened? Or how many times has that happened and you actually noticed it? The thought of making it all the way home without one red light (and one pretty great song on the radio) made me forget all my assignments that are due and actually made me smile. I never would have thought that one simple thing could make the anxiety of a swamped college student disappear.
Knowing that this little phenomenon eased some of the stress taking over my life, I tried to notice and embrace the other little stuff that could make me happier. Whether it was how I got the butterflies in my stomach driving down the hill on Cantrell, or how it was so great to get the first piece of pizza out of the oven at E-Hall, or finally getting the last jug of Arnold Palmer at Food Lion. All of these little things made my day a little more bearable, as if somehow their little simple magic paused my life for a little and forced me to take a breath—a real deep breath—and realize it will be okay. No amount of math problems, pages to be read, or heartbreak can completely break me down.
Try to notice how little, everyday things can make you feel so happy in stressful times. How great did you feel after checking your mailbox for days to finally see a letter (even if it was a flyer from Domino’s), or how relieved did you feel when you typed that last sentence of an impossible five page essay? Chances are you felt so great. The stress, the frustration, the bad mood, and doubt all just fled your mind for a moment while you embraced the simple things that make you happy.
So while you’re stuck on the second floor of Carrier for the third night in a row, barely staying awake and noticing you should probably take a break to shower, remember to take note of the simple things that can make you smile, even if it’s just for a second. Because while you’re getting carried away with the papers that are due, or the boys (or girls) who aren’t interested, or the weather that can’t make up its mind, there’s always a way to make you happy.
So throw your stuffed bookbag in the back seat, blast the music with the windows down, and enjoy every green light you get to cruise through until you get home.
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