Madi Mcever, Campus Carrier Entertainment Editor
Does it ever feel like your life is moving too fast for you to keep up? Like there just are not enough hours in the day to get everything done? I sure have. Even though your college years are supposed to be some of the best years of your life, they can be overwhelming.
During my freshman year at Berry, I found myself racing from one place to the next, trying to keep up with schoolwork, my job, social time, and sleep. It was exhausting. I reached my breaking point that spring, while I was writing a paper for my history class at 5 a.m. in a laundry room. I knew that something had to be done. It was then that I resolved to slow down and stop trying to do it all.
As a result of slowing down, I began to pay more attention to the small things in life. You know, those little things that most people pass by without a second glance or thought. I started noticing all of the little gifts that life presents us with and treating those moments as special, even if they seemed ordinary.
Treating “ordinary” things as “extraordinary” takes practice, but more than that, it takes time. While giving up your time for something as trivial as picking daisies on your way to class might seem ridiculous, I would argue that it could dramatically affect the way that you live your life.
For me, “sacrificing” those few moments of productivity time every day actually gave me a clearer mind and put things into perspective about what really matters in the grand scheme of life and what will eventually fade.
This semester, I urge you to appreciate the small things. There is nothing quite like sitting on a bench to listen to the birds on a crisp afternoon, stopping to help a turtle cross the road, eating a PB&J sandwich on fine china, searching for heart-shaped rocks, rolling down the grassy hill at Frost Chapel or hand-writing a heartfelt letter to someone you care about.
You might even try having coffee with a friend, without bringing along homework or a cell phone. That sort of quality time can give you an entirely new appreciation for someone that you might have known for years.
Even if you enjoy the speed and action that college life brings, you might be surprised at how refreshing it can be to bask in the silence and enjoy your surroundings. Take your cue from Martha Berry. She was a go-getter who knew how to get things done, and worked very hard to make Berry what it is today. Based on what we know about her, she was also a lover of the simple things. She enjoyed sitting up at the House O’ Dreams, spending time alone in nature. She also enjoyed strolling among the beautiful flowers in her gardens, and was intentional about spending time with those who were dear to her. I cannot help but think that Miss Berry would wish the same for every student who passes through the Gate of Opportunity.
The next time you’re feeling tired of the daily grind, put on your sunbonnet, bake some muffins, and know that Martha Berry would be proud.