Janus is the two-faced Roman god of transition. He has two faces, a face both on the front and back of his head. He looks to and presides over both the past and future, time and doorways and war and peace.
One of the things his divinity covers is the idea of transition. Janus: master of cocoons, of passing into sleep or death, god of the entrances of supermarkets on a hot day, and seeming overseer of the entirety of the college experience.
Freshmen are moving into what feels like a whole new world-- you have to move into your dorm, get to know the people around you, spend a few weeks immersed in school spirit, transition into midterms and, before you know it, head home for thanksgiving. In the blink of the eye finals mania kicks in right before heading off for the holidays. Second semester starts and the weather begins to change, switching from the beginning of semester mode back into midterms mode. Summer comes and goes and it starts all over again and continues for four to five years. Life is filled with constant transition.
At least that's how being a student can feel, right? The reality is that transition is action over time and only tangible in foresight and retrospect. Janus is always looking toward the past or the future, utterly incapable of existing in the moment. This is how you overthrow a Roman god. While the past does have tangible lessons for us to learn from and we can and should prepare for the future, to get the most out of life you must live in the moment.
This will be my fifth year at Calvin College; I am simultaneously excited, nervous and completely calm writing and hanging out with my dogs Willie and Waylon. The sun is setting a warm ambiance shining in from the sliding glass door; Waylon is lying in the light and basking for whatever heat he can get; Willie is curled up with his favorite tennis ball, and I am writing this article living in the here and now. The future is intangible and the past is irreversible.
I understand that living in the moment is so much easier said than done. When you have a stressful week ahead of you, nothing can be worse than hearing someone tell you to relax and “Just. Like. Be here, man.” However, there are ways to reduce that kind of panic: writing out a to-do list can turn a week filled with three papers, two tests and a presentation into a list of totally doable individual tasks. This is sure to be something I’ll write about later, but the sentiment stays the same. Take life as it comes, one step, one second at a time. Although those steps and seconds don’t need to be the best times of your life, they are moments in your life nonetheless and should be enjoyed. For moments filled with negativity, let yourself feel the appropriate emotion, be it grief, anger, or forgiveness.
Life is a moment made up of an infinite amount of smaller moments. The same can be said for college. Take every moment as it comes and live in it. Be responsible and study. Do your homework and say no when you need to. But know that whether you're out with friends who may be here one second and gone the next, or chilling out in your room listening to "The Shins" the moment you are in doesn't need to lead or bleed into the next. Take your time and pick a rose, because that flower will never have a scent as sweet as when you smell it.
