2017 was a mixed bag of experiences. There were tears of joy and tears of sorrow and shame. There were memories of joy and memories that brought nothing but grief. 2018 brings new challenges and opportunities. But for now, there are some lessons that I have learned from last year.

1. Work before you play.

Last year was characterized largely by not accomplishing my responsibilities and by pursuing recreational activities instead. I am a big lover of playing Madden (NFL football) on the PS4. I have been playing it for quite awhile. But whether it was playing Madden or sometimes wasting time on Facebook and YouTube, I ended up sacrificing valuable time that I could have used for school and ended using it for those things. And when you do that habitually, it could prove to be costly in terms of your grades.

2. Minimize your time on social media and technology.

One of the reasons why my grades in school suffered was largely due to distraction and poor concentration. By overindulging in Facebook and my phone, it got increasingly more difficult to stay focused on school and I became overly dependent on people. In essence, I was constantly checking Facebook to see if someone would “like” a post or comment I had put. And of course, I became less proactive in how I spent my time. As a side note, I do not include Facetime as one of the problems I faced in being on Facebook. But in short, technology and social media are nice things. But too much time on them can prove toxic for my well being and anyone’s well being.

3. Keep pursuing what you love.

Another reason why my grades suffered was that I put off homework and did other recreational activities instead. A big reason for that was because I no longer found joy in my studies.

I did not see my studies as something to be enjoyed but something I had to do. Admittedly, that seems like a very strange phenomenon because I was pursuing philosophy in my studies. However, when you do not feed your passion habitually, it can grow all but dead.

Much of this has to do with losing passion for school, philosophy and the life of the mind. My spiritual and intellectual appetites were more intense than they were before. I could not remember the last time I had felt motivated and enthusiastic about school. This year, by God’s grace, I hope to recapture the passion I once had.

4. Don’t become overly dependent on people

I am an odd person. I am an extroverted and introverted person in certain ways. I love being around people and I also like time to myself. In this context, I relied too heavily on people as to whether I felt good about myself and whether my days were great or mediocre. Much of that came from spending too much time on Facebook and my phone.

Another factor was the fact that I am now a 32-year-old male off-campus student who finds it increasingly difficult to find a group of friends that I can spend time with regularly. The reality is that God has designed me to be a social creature. With that being said, I must not idolize people.

Part of having a healthy perspective of myself is by recognizing that I must not overstate the benefits friendship brings to my life. Solitude is part of God’s design for everyone. If it is used improperly, it can become a fertile ground for depression and resentment.

Concluding thoughts

Making the most of 2018 is something that constitutes a new chapter in my life. Lord willing, I will take note of how last year could have gone better and used that to my advantage.

And on the last note, God is my everything. I must ultimately rely on Christ to be the strength I need when mine fails. God is always with me at the end of the day, even if nobody else is. May God’s power and grace push me forward in this new year!