Last semester was rough - on many levels, not the least because of school. Taking 4 upper-division, reading-/writing-intensive classes within your major(s) while working and attempting to have a life may not be the wisest thing. When an average day begins around 5:30, doesn't end until after midnight and the middle is filled with studying or working, something has to give, and last semester that was often any concept of free time.
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| Our mantra |
Now, I'm not complaining because I actually really enjoyed last semester, perhaps not all the time, but overall it wasn't too bad. In fact, in many ways it was one of my favorite semesters at Westmont. And why not? I was studying things I loved and was passionate about (and some of these never end - like the Holocaust in Italy) with people I truly enjoyed and looked up to. But there was definitely a lesson to be learned, and I think it's coming in quite strongly this semester.
Sometimes life means taking a break.
For some reason, I envisioned living in a house would be less distracting than living in a dorm. I mean, less people around creates fewer opportunities for interaction and thus, distraction, right? Not always. People now come over specifically to visit you, whereas before they were usually just in the building and happened to stop by. This means you get to talk, sometimes for longer than you planned. Recognizing the importance of relationships and making time for people has been a long process for me - basically since I started college - but I'm now starting to understand the true necessity of people (but don't worry, I'm still an introvert). This has been rather liberating, as I've come to realize that sometimes plans were made to be broken, and sometimes distractions are necessary. Sometimes family comes to visit, and you spend all evening with them, not once touching a textbook. Other times you just need to talk to your roommate.
Or the dog needs to go out.
Or dinner needs to be made.
Or the floor needs to be cleaned (again).
Or a guest needs to be entertained
Or the dishes need to be washed (again).
Or a car needs to be jump-started in the rain.
Or the laundry needs to be done.
Or groceries need to be bought.
Or a friend's birthday needs to be celebrated.
Unfortunately, not all of these breaks can be credited to the good process of learning the importance of relationships. Some of these breaks owe their existence to one little word:
senioritis.
This is a common condition (or so I'm told) among those about to graduate. As I see it, there are three main culprits at work here:
1. Simple denial of the amount of work that must be done.
2. The change from having four classes to two and somehow thinking that that means zero.
3. A realization that even were you to get a "D" in that class, you will still graduate.
Thankfully, I think we all fit in the first two categories, as tempting as the third one may sound at times. Our procrastinations, shall we call them, tend to turn into long conversations or random jaunts around the internet looking for interesting articles. And, since we're on the subject, here are some recent distractions we have found enjoyable:
http://www.preciousprincessbible.com/ (because who doesn't want a pretty pink Bible?)
http://owenstrachan.com/2009/08/11/shooting-sacred-evangelical-cows-coffee-drinking/ (ok, not as recent, but quite entertaining)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obTNwPJvOI8 (actually just rather depressing)
http://xkcd.com/59/ (and again)
Apparently life can mean taking lots of breaks.
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