Disclaimer: This is an opinion article. The views written in this article do not reflect Her Campus UWF Chapter as a whole, but instead reflect the views of the individual author.
Midterms are hard. College is tough. Your GPA is at stake. Trust me, I get it. You feel like you’re swimming through a lake of haphazardly scribbled flashcards. Your bloodstream is now 68 percent Red Bull and your vision is beginning to blur. You wish you could buy a plane ticket to magical “elsewhere” and forget the pressure and responsibility of earning a degree.
But I’d like to remind you that there are worse things than late night studying.
You could be in Puerto Rico right now, without electricity or a roof for the next few months. You could live in South Sudan, where it’s likely you’d never have electricity in your life. Not that you’d be concerned with light bulbs; you’re too busy fleeing your home because war and conflict appeared at your doorway. You could be the mother of a child suffering from leukemia, you could be the victim of an acid attack, or you could live with gnawing hunger and a bloated belly until you whither away while the world points cameras at you and says, “Oh, how tragic.”
But you aren’t. You’re studying in a well-lit and comfortable room, Starbucks coffee in one hand and a cell phone in the other.
Yes, I know there’s something inherently wrong with the model of my argument: “you’ve got it good compared to those people!” It insinuates that no one ever has the right to complain and can end up meaning that no tragedy is valid. I realize it’s a dangerous model to use.
This argument is used to silence protestors: “You’re making millions playing football! What are you complaining about?” It is frequently used to silence feminists: “Women in other countries can’t vote or drive! What are you complaining about?” The difference here is that you aren’t protesting police brutality or the wage gap. You’re complaining about taking a few tests.
You’re complaining about a decision that you voluntarily made. In fact, you pay actual money for this experience. Why? Because a college education is going to benefit you. In this case, you do have it good compared to the majority of the world. So stop complaining about earning a degree and go study! Study hard! Make the most of this blessing! There are worse things out there than midterms.
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