Hey collegiettes! Happy fall, y’all! (Mason is not that southern, but still!)
We are in a super interesting time of the semester right now. We are in the midst of midterms, fall starting, which means new energy and excitement is present, and it is also Thanksgiving season! If the stress of the semester or your life, in general, is outweighing the seasonal excitement, then this article is for you. To jump right in, let’s look at 10 things we should be thankful for, this season.
Good health
Personally, this one is the most important for me and always changes my perspective on life. If you or anyone you know or love has ever had a chronic illness, you know how emotionally, mentally, and physically taxing it is for them and those around them. Not only that but there is the looming fear of death.
If you are healthy and have loved ones around you be healthy as well this Thanksgiving season, consider yourself incredibly lucky. As I mentioned before, it is emotionally draining, because the fear, concern, and pain are always at the back of your mind, and to be ignorant from those thoughts is such a free feeling. When things get tough that might seem like a huge deal, try placing them in perspective by considering your good health and thus free thoughts.
Being in school
Yes, you might have opinions on the current higher education system, from the way standardized tests and admissions processes tend to discriminate against certain groups, to the tuition rates once you are in a college or university, and they are very valid.
Instead, I want to focus that (for better or worse) a successful future is often dependent on college education, despite its flaws. However much you are spending or stressing, we are luckier than so many in the United States, or the world, who do not have access or are not able to attend higher education for a number of reasons.
We are lucky to have this chance to really enhance our futures and hopefully use our education to better the world in the future!
Reading this article
This one might be a little cheesy, but the fact that you have access to the internet, a mobile data plan a phone, laptop, or computer, you are very blessed. While these resources have become easily overlooked by us, those without them feel it severely because of how tech the world has become. Almost all aspects of schoolwork and just everyday life are dependent on the Internet, and if you do not have access to it, life can be very difficult.
We should be grateful for the access to these tech resources but also the daily stress that we do not have to endure as a result of not having them.
Political climate
Whatever your opinion on today’s political climate and worldwide political leadership and system, many people can admit that they are not content with it, or even afraid of the future. While this may be terribly discouraging, we should be grateful that there are large numbers of young people are determined and motivated, and actually active in changing the current state. The fact that there is still ambition and perseverance in the youth can give us hope for change.
A group of people you love
This might be your family, distant relatives, a group of close friends, or even that row of people that you all work on group projects together in class. Being lonely is really hard, even if you have a close support system at home, and know that they have your back, going each day without a person or group you can be close with can be very, very hard. So if you have a club, a sports team, or classmates that you have become close with and see often enough to keep you company, you are very lucky because many people, students especially, do not have access to people like these.
Please remember that this is not an article telling you that worries are steadfastly ranked and if that you do not have the right to be upset if you do not have certain problems. You very much do and I personally encourage you to feel all of your feelings. Instead, placing your worries in perspective can help how you deal with them.
Please take care of y’all’s selves this season and enjoy it, collegiettes!