By Olivia Bible
Merriam-Webster’s first definition of nostalgia is “the state of being homesick.” Does that mean nostalgia and homesickness are really just the same thing? Then we have to ask, what is home? I could give another dictionary definition but yeah, you get probably have an idea.
Can college ever be home? It takes time, but little by little we will find ourselves establishing new routines and disestablishing the old. Feeling the first strange sensation of missing college on a visit home, then full-out wanting the school year back during the summer – Missing the old routine.
Too many times in my life, I’ve had trouble living in the present. I spent all of high school waiting for it to end, only to not know what to do with myself when it ended.
If you’re wondering how that relates to success in college, it all ties back to one thing: happiness. Being happy is everything, from satisfaction with your perfect Chem 101 midterm to feeling free while dancing the night away. It moves us forward and frees us from the past, which allows us to live in the moment. It’s what we’ll remember when college is over and allow us to say “those were a good four years,” that got us to where we are today.
So, in order to be successful in college, seek out things that will make you happy. Customize your list of happy things and don’t be afraid to make some deletions if the costs become greater than the benefits. But, follow each deletion with an addition until it is near perfect for you. Even if new ordeals seem like a lot of work, if the gain is what gives you satisfaction and brings you seamlessly into the future, it is worth it. But, don’t forget that it’s all about balance. Live for both the challenge of spending three consecutive hours in the gym and the freedom of not going the next day.
And, more than anything, while stepping away from that nostalgic thing called home, remember to keep it in the back of your mind. Living in the present is all about the balance between old and new and making your circumstances right for your unique current situation.
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