Wake Up Call: Stop Looking Forward And Start Looking Around | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Wake Up Call: Stop Looking Forward And Start Looking Around

Your life won't always be like this.

107
Wake Up Call: Stop Looking Forward And Start Looking Around
Brooke Cagle

To the senior prepping for her last semester of college, the freshman who's just beginning this crazy adventure, the high schooler trying to make a college decision, and everyone in between — take a second and listen to me: stop looking forward and start looking around. This is your life.

I'm beginning to realize that life is a funny thing and time passes whether you want it to or not. The Earth continues to spin at the same speed whether you're falling asleep in BIO 101, out for a night with your friends, or spending an entire day watching Netflix in bed. Time never moves faster or slower, despite how it may feel, or how much you may want it to. We can't freeze the good moments, and we can't fast forward through the struggles. All we can do is try our best to be present during everything.

I don't mean present as in physically there, but present as in fully embracing the moment. Quit checking your phone every three minutes wondering when you can leave and stop counting down the days to graduation. You're going to miss this when it's gone. It's great to have things to look forward to, but it's not okay to disregard the present in the meantime.

I vividly remember sitting on the floor of the hall of my beloved high school four years ago on my last day. Anyone who knows me knows I was so excited to leave. I posted a picture with a cheesy caption along the lines of, "I can't believe these past four years flew by as quickly as they did! On to bigger and better things." Someone quickly commented and said, "Just wait, college goes by even faster." I shrugged it off because honestly, high school felt like a drag.

I couldn't wait to graduate high school. I rushed through that stage because I was so anxious for the next one and I forgot to appreciate the little moments and people along the way. Now, I can count on one hand the amount of people I'm still in contact with from high school and, to be honest, it's a little disappointing. I didn't appreciate my people when I had them and I regret it. So, I vowed to be more present during the next chapter of my life and I urge you to do the same.

Your move in day will come. Inevitably, so will graduation day. And move out day... You'll go on that vacation you've so desperately been waiting for and you'll be reunited with a friend who you greatly missed. All of these things will come...and go. If you choose to focus on events instead of moments, what will you have to remember when all is said and done?

Breathe it all in, write it all down, and maybe even take a picture or two. It'll last longer, right? To be honest, the future can be scary, so why stress about it right now? I promise it will come when it comes — one day at a time. We still have time to be kids and make mistakes right now. No one expects you to have your life totally figured out yet, so don't try to.

Embrace the good, embrace the bad. Appreciate crazy dinners with your family, the conversations with your professors, the ease of being able to run across the hall to your best friends. Your life won't always be like this. You won't always live at home, you won't always live in a dorm. Your metabolism won't always be able to handle midnight Taco Bell runs.

Have a plan and set goals, but don't fixate on them. Trust the process: after all, you won't be able to get to the future unless you can get through the present.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

179337
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

6487
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

451969
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22986
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments