Lets just say that I was to the point of pulling my hair out. I wanted to scream to the world in frustration because of the continual amount of work that was mounting before me. I would come home from ten hour days on campus and lay on the floor of my apartment with no motivation because all I could think about was the million things I had to be doing all at once. My roommates could see how it was affecting me-I would go through huge mood swings and eat constantly. This semester has been hard. I decided to get super involved in clubs, leadership positions, and volunteer work on campus. I was working a part time job. I was taking 15 credits. On top of that, I have a big decision to make involving where I will end up for the summer, as well as where I will be working in the spring and next fall. The stress was killing me. I was no longer my normal, bubbly self.
I feel like this is the time that everyone feels the big knot of stress in their stomach. The semester is about to end, which means a crack down on projects, essays, and exams. The only thing that matters is getting the grade. The holidays are coming up, but can also be stressful as events take months of planning and the perfect gifts have to be purchased for family and friends. Another year is coming to an end, and decisions have to be made. It's not easy, but how does one make it through?
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Recently, I was able to have some big perspective changing experiences. One of these happened in a QPR training I was able to receive as a leader on my campus. We were told to ask ourselves three questions each day, and that we would see a difference in the way we found meaning in our lives. I now ask myself these questions everyday.
- How was I surprised today?
- How was I delighted today?
- How was I inspired today?
These have helped me understand how lucky I truly am to have the opportunity to be surrounded by incredible, inspiring people everyday of my life. I am constantly learning and becoming a better person. Through asking myself these questions, I was able to look outside my problems and stress and realize what was truly important.
The second happened in a conversation with a stranger, also brought on by this training. The speaker asked us to turn to our neighbor and really listen to what stresses they were experiencing and find a way to ask if they were okay. Then, we would take our turn and voice our greatest stresses. The result was amazing. As a voiced my concerns to someone who I barely knew, I was able to realize that the things I had to do shouldn't be causing me as much anxiety as I was feeling. My rationale kicked in and I knew I could make it through the end of the semester. It helped that my neighbor took interest in how I was feeling and was completely attentive to what I had to say. It felt as if a big weight was being lifted off my shoulders.
The last thing that has changed my attitude towards these stressful things came as a random thought to me one day. It said, “You need to start doing what you love.” I realized that even though I am having a lot of fun with my friends and have a lot of opportunities, I had stopped doing the small things that I used to enjoy. I have started drawing again, and listening to old records. Through doing these activities, I have seen more joy enter my life and feel more confidant in my ability to take on the world.
If you are feeling the weight of the holidays, finals, work, etc., take some time for yourself. Ask yourself the uplifting, positive questions everyday to find new meaning in what you do. Find someone to talk to who will really care about if you are okay and will listen to your concerns. Find something that you love to do. It can be anything, from making new playlists on Spotify to learning new songs on the ukulele. Any of these things will help you look to the positive and make it through the most stressful time of the year.
