I've been hearing a lot of whining lately, and a lot of it is coming from me. I didn't want to believe it at first, but I caught my friend looking "through" me when he asked how I've been doing lately and it dawned on me. Crap, I am the whiner.
For those of you who have not heard it already, it sounds something like this:
"Senioritis"-- a term that has always made me roll my eyes, has actually caught up with me, jumped on my back, is simultaneously yanking at my shirt and dual-fistedly pounding on my skull. Plus, winter is smothering me and if I drive another mile in white-out conditions I am going to freak. It is just so hard to stay motivated. Writing papers is no longer glamorous--in fact, it seems incredibly monotonous. Reading textbooks now puts me to sleep. I have actually had to use this as a tactic once or twice this semester because I am usually so stressed out that it is impossible for me to get any quality shut-eye. And HOW does my instructor expect me to test over eight chapters per week?! It's just cruel!
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blahhhhhhhhh...
Even when my complaints are somewhat creatively disguised, they are still complaints. As my ever-so-eloquent father always said, "Get tough or die." This was a phrase he most often used when my sisters and I would show him our bruises, soliciting for a bit of pity. He would then, without skipping a beat, take his thumb and press on it until we let out a yelp, flashed him a look, and ran off. Of course, this gesture was always out of love (paired with a little sadistic humor for good measure.) He's right of course. Complaining is not going to change a thing. If anything, dwelling on problems only makes our attitudes more negative--and it sucks the life out of whomever has been forced to listen.
So, I apologize. I need to get over myself.
At least I am going to college. At least I am getting an education. I won't preach too much here, but as we know not everyone has that opportunity. Sometimes it is necessary to remind ourselves of this because school can be stressful, and stress is a variable in the function of becoming a curmudgeon. Sometimes we need to look at life and say, "This sucks. Oh well. I'll get through it." Chances are, you've persevered through much worse than a tight deadline, a slippery road, a challenging exam, or a sleepless night or two.
I have about 65 days left until I graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Business and as of right now, nothing is going to stop me from getting it. Not even myself.
