Burning Out

At the recent Lion King sing-a-long, I realized that growing up I never gave Pumbaa nearly enough credit.  Not only is he kind and accepting, but he’s also spot-on about stars being “giant balls of gas burning thousands of miles away”.   Many of Duke’s rising stars are also those who are burning out the fastest – think about how many people go abroad or just take a semester off altogether to get away from all the pressures and expectations that come with being a Duke student.

The other day I ran into a Duke alum from the class of 1972.  He was observing some of the changes noticeable in present-day Duke; in particular, he asked if some of the choices he’s seen us make are worth “spending 50 something thousand dollars on”.  To be honest, that’s a question I ask myself almost every day.

There’s such a deeply embedded fear of missing out amongst almost all students here, but our need to do it all can also quickly spiral to feeling out of control and overwhelmed.  Even our beloved basketball can come at a cost. Having free, pretty much unlimited access to basketball games in the famed Cameron Indoor Stadium is something so many people envy, but it comes at a sacrifice of  time.  Waiting in line for hours is no joke in the cold, and games themselves are pretty lengthy.  Let’s not even talk about the mental and physical health effects of living in a tent during January and February. But this is literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, right?  After our four years here are over, we will never again be able to crowd our sweaty, paint-covered bodies onto the student section bleachers, jumping up and down and chanting in total unison.  Never again will a simple swipe of a DukeCard get us courtside “seats”.  Would I be wasting my tuition if I didn’t attend these legendary games?

Yet there are only so many hours in a day.  If I’m sitting in the tent during my free time between my five classes and two jobs, then I have to choose what I can do with my remaining hours.  Some choose to nap, compensating for their all-nighters.  Others are frantically applying to internships, research positions, grad schools, extracurricular exec boards, or some sort of DukeEngage-esque volunteer opportunity.  Either way, too many of us are being stretched to our limits.  Some argue that this kind of mental test is only a necessary preparation for survival at the top of the corporate ladder, while others feel that this kind of lifestyle is ultimately unsustainable.  I don’t really know what the correct approach is, but the Wall Street Journal published an article last year about the relatively rapid deterioration of physical and mental health of those who work as bankers for more than two years.  

Being involved in stellar extracurricular activities, while still maintaining a social life and doing well in classes is a difficult and idealistic balancing act.  College is more than any aspect of your resume, GPA, or student affiliations – it’s about becoming more well-rounded individuals.  Obviously we are all aware of the current prospects of the job market. While we should not squander the opportunities we are given as Duke students, we need to give ourselves a chance to breathe.  Last week’s Monday Monday half-jokingly blasted the study abroad experience as “pay[ing] the price of one of Mitt Romney’s horses to spend an eighth of your college education exploring just how many places there are to get drunk in Europe. In the mean time, you take three-day-a-week classes at a third-grade reading level. This is how you become a global citizen.” While classes away from Duke may be a little easier, is this really such a terrible thing?  Even most Greeks at Duke do not fulfill the stereotype of vapid excessive partiers, but instead are high-achieving, ambitious go-getters who perhaps need the time off.

However, many Dukies who need a break from campus pressures are unable to take advantage of opportunities such as studying abroad, be it due to positions on committees or double majoring, etc.  While there are definitely alternative ways to relieve stress on campus such as going to CAPS, it’s really not the same thing as being able to physically leave the demands of Duke and gain a wider perspective from being outside the Duke bubble.  Therefore, should Duke consider changing mandatory course requirements to foster our futures as genuine global citizens? Instead of taking three semesters of a language, should an immersion course abroad suffice for the cultural aspect of such a requirement?  Not only would it be much more informative and engaging, but such an approach would also be more effective and practical.  What about allowing a natural science to be fulfilled through a course abroad that is comprised of the sightseeing and exploration students find essential to their experiences?  Such curriculum alterations would not only richen more students’ experiences abroad, but also add academic weight to these semesters in a more reasonable manner.  

Either way, these are questions that can’t be answered right now.  The only thing that can be done is a personal evaluation of what matters to you – and pick commitments accordingly.  While there is no right or wrong ranking of values, I think we overlook the fact that the end goal too often emphasizes cars and mansions or power suits and high-powered positions instead of genuine happiness.  If power is what gets you off, then keep on keeping on… but otherwise, don’t forget that life exists outside the Duke bubble and there is more than one way to be successful.  Always.

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