Finding joy in the mundanity. College life focuses heavily on the go, go, go of figuring out our future. While it’s incredibly important to make active decisions to ensure that future you is secure, try hitting the brakes and recognize that what you do now will help future you ten times more than any plan.
And sure that might look like establishing a bedtime or reading more books, but how about again, hitting the breaks? Look around.
It’s not always easy to relish in the now, and the littlest things are the ones we take for granted the most. Having socks to put on our feet in the morning before we head to school or work. Grabbing a snack before we go. Enjoying our hobbies when we get home. Sending funny TikToks to our friends. Loving the little things should be more than just someone wagging their finger saying ‘be grateful,’ because the emotions you feel, big and small, are valid all the same. The emotions we experience from overwhelm to excitement all add up to the story of our lives, allowing us to achieve a wider range of the human experience. It’s a scary world we live in, and always have lived in, but it’s also a beautiful world. Part of that is because you’re here, right now.
Unfortunately, the current state of our world has made life for some seem pretty bleak. There’s something about the horrors we see all over social media and the news that might make it harder to celebrate a regular day. We all have our bouts of gloom and doom, and yet within that “we’re all gonna die” mentality, there’s room there for us to get back to our foundations. Allowing us to realize that we’re all just normal people living normal lives. And there’s so much beauty in that!
Going to class might not seem all that much like an accomplishment, but it’s a huge one! Taking a step back and remembering that there is happiness to be had in simply showing up. Or getting a cup of coffee before heading to the lesson. Or how you wore your favorite shoes today. The little things you do add up to how you feel about yourself and your life overall.
There are of course the positive effects of striving for our large goals, like a house or a good job, and we absolutely should work towards the best for ourselves, but we need to understand that the little goals are just as important. And not even the goals to be achieved at a later date, but all that we’ve done and do currently. It’s important to appreciate yourself for all that you’re already doing for your future.
Social media has placed on us this “be more” mindset. Constantly resetting and decluttering and routine-ing and whatever else to make it seem like what you have currently needs to be changed in some way. This isn’t always true. And luckily, it doesn’t have to be this way. You should be proud of yourself because you’re doing a great job with all that you already do.
Your simple, easy life of nobody-hood is incredibly admirable for all that it is because you are meant to love and be loved beyond accomplishments and aspirations. Your worth is not wrapped up in your morning routine or whether or not you have an internship secured.
It can be incredibly hard in this uncomfortable political climate and fast-paced attitude of college to think that we are enough. But you are. Put away the grind and get back to reality — it’s scary, but you can do it.
Finding joy in the bottom of our cereal bowl, in people-watching on the train, in seeing how the clouds move or in our reflection in a window just might be what we all need to pull us out of that hole of inadequacy. To hone us back into not viewing our lives as something to be accomplished but rather as something to be experienced moment by moment.
Understanding that each goal is something to be achieved in flux and that it’s impossible to be everything you want to be in one day. Allow yourself room to grow, not push yourself into a high-scoring box. Each accomplishment is punctuated by the journey, and the journey is what you’re doing right now, even if it feels like you’re just lying in bed.
Sometimes life is boring, and sometimes it’s exciting. There’s a lot to feel and see and do, and there’s also a lot to notice. Take notice — you’ll be surprised when you do.
