This is not going to be about study techniques, revision tips or anything academic related. This comes from my heart, and the messages conveyed in this article are what I would like to tell anyone if they ask me for life advice. I am definitely not the best person to ask advice for in these matters, but hey, a clock that doesn't work is right twice a day.
IT WILL GET BETTER
Sometimes you're wondering if your long hours of work are paying off. Sometimes the days feel like they're dragging by, and your lost in the chaos of life. You feel like you're not giving the best in your studies, family problems, and the most destructive of them all: self doubt and hopelessness. I went through these, and trust me when I tell you how self-destructive they are. You might have come across the notion that the story you tell yourself on a repeated basis subconsciously forms a large aspect of your identity. The funny thing is, what you tell yourself might not be true, at all. I struggled, and still do, with a feeling of incompetency, always thinking I'm not doing enough. But when the exams roll around I find myself doing decently.
PARANOIA
Seneca, a stoic philosopher, says we suffer more in imagination than in reality. The anxiety, self doubt, worry about what IS and what could go wrong with yourself takes a heavy toll on your mental health. Whatever situation you're in now, just know things will get better. I was plagued by these worries last year during my exams, but hey, I did well. What if it turns out better than you expect? Live life like that. The pain of today is the strength you feel tomorrow. And sometimes, things never turn out the way you want them or make them to be. If I tell you that's alright, you might regret on your deathbed why you never did anything to change it. So don't just accept that things haven't gone your way and do nothing about it. Embrace it, acknowledge it, forgive it. Only then are you able to move on and think about what to do next, that should be your focus.
GROWTH
I always feel I never do enough, because I see my friends grinding work as they send questions on WhatsApp as queries. I have high expectations of myself, because I believe I have a vast untapped potential I can unlock. But when I see others doing more work than me, I feel crushed, I face an identity crisis. I was supposed to be THE GRINDER, THE PHYSICIST. It is what some people think of me as. And now that I am not doing enough work, I feel as if I am not worthy of those titles anymore.
I am absolutely sure some of you have felt that before. I just want to say, take a little step back, and smile at how far you've come. Your value as a human being is infinite. Appreciate what you have, but don't settle for it. Once you feel grateful enough, find out the reason behind why you feel stuck in life. For me, I let my ego slowly creep on me as it said," You grind more than others, you can slack now,". I told it to shut up, and I am trying to work harder.
THANKS
Truly, thanks. I appreciate the people who are the first to consistently read my articles. And the occasional reader too. Life is like a river, sometimes you are dragged by the currents, sometimes they push you towards your destination, sometimes you get stuck in a mud trap. I only have 3 words for you. Deal with it.
Signing out,
Your fellow student.