Run Your Own Race This Summer Because Comparison is The Thief of Joy | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post

Run Your Own Race This Summer Because Comparison is The Thief of Joy

I'm not saying that we should just kick back and not work for our futures. I am proposing that we pump the brakes and fill our time and resumes with things that matter deeply to us.

26
Run Your Own Race This Summer Because Comparison is The Thief of Joy
Grace Bellman

This is not the first time I have had a crisis of confidence and I am certain it won't be the last. But somehow that doesn't make it feel any better.

Last week, I had a midsummer crisis about my plans for Physical Therapy school. I wasn't sure I would get accepted anywhere and I was worried that I wasn't doing anything worthwhile with my summer vacation.

After a few tears and a long conversation with my parents, I calmed down. But those fears are still there and very stressful. I know I'm not the only one.

I think there is a large amount of pressure placed on my generation to go, go, go. We are told to get internships, summer jobs, straight A's, and make connections with future employers, all the while trying to enjoy college and being young adults. It is daunting at times and frankly exhausting. I find myself constantly planning for the next season. During my fall semester, I was making plans for PT shadowing and spring classes. During my spring semester, I had to research summer classes and job opportunities back home. Right now, I am using my free time to research physical therapy schools and the courses they require so I can use my last two years of college wisely.

It is so easy to forget that we are only young twenty-somethings who have yet to enter the workforce. We should be allowed to cherish our youth before committing to long-term employment or furthering our education. We should be encouraged to live more in the present.

I'm not saying that we should just kick back and not work for our futures. I am proposing that we pump the brakes and fill our time and resumes with things that matter deeply to us. My resume might not be the most decorated but I am doing my best to make sure it reflects me and what I value. Of course, I am working hard to get into Physical Therapy school. It would be a dream to be accepted and to pursue that career. But I am not fully prepared yet, nor should I be.

If I have learned anything from my future-focused panic, it's that we should all run our own races this summer. We should be encouraging and supportive of our friends but we should never compare our journey to theirs. If I compare my pre-physical therapy path to a student hoping to go into consulting, I will definitely be disappointed. We are running two different races. Our desired careers require different things of us.

Maggie Rogers wrote a song called "Dog Years" about graduating college and all of her friends going separate ways. In the lyrics, she considers counting your time in dogs years (7 for every 1 human year) to mean that you are really valuing your time. She illustrates graduating college as the afterlife because it is the point to which most people have planned but are uncertain of what's next.

I resonate with this song deeply. Although I still have two years left, the impending "afterlife" is scary and watching friends graduate and move on makes it even more challenging. But Maggie is reassuring that in the next season of uncertainty: "We will be alright –– in the afterlife."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
female tv characters
We Heart It

Over the past decade, television has undergone a very crucial transition: the incorporation of female lead characters. Since it's a known fact that girls actually do run the world (Beyonce said so herself), it's time for the leading ladies of the small screen to get some credit. Without these characters, women would still be sitting in the background of our favorite shows. These women are not only trailblazers for female empowerment, but role models for women worldwide. With that, here are 15 of the smartest, sassiest ladies gracing our screens that remind us that women do, indeed, rule:

Keep Reading...Show less
New Now Next
New Now Next

If you are like me, you have an interesting personality. Basically, you love to be sassy and snarky, gossip, and act like a total bitch (not really), but deep down, you are actually a very genuinely nice person. The idea of actually hurting someone truly makes you feel bad, and you probably have never actually hurt someone’s feelings because your kindness always shines through, even if you do not want it to. Not sure exactly what I would call this type of personality, but if you identify with it, here are some feelings you can undoubtedly relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf
Cub Magazine

We all have a little bit of Blair Waldorf inside of us. You may not realize it, but you're probably guilty of at least nine out of ten of these listed points. So why don't we reminisce on the famous Blair Waldorf moments where we realized we were actually her at certain times through the series?

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Confessions Of A Sleep-A-Holic

If your plans get cancelled, there is a 99.9% percent chance you are sleeping.

1668
woman lying on bed
Photo by Kinga Howard on Unsplash

1. What are some of your hobbies? Does sleep count?

I'm so good at sleeping I can do it with my eyes closed

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

7 Reasons To Watch One Tree Hill

"There is only one tree hill, Jaime Scott."

1774
one tree hill
Wikipedia Commons

If you need a new series to watch, I recommend One Tree Hill. I watched this series three times now and it only keeps getting better. If you need any more reasons beside the fact that all of the seasons are on Netflix for your binge-watching pleasure, here are seven more reasons to watch it.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments