Blog Post #7 (Friday, January 24th, 2020)

Happy New Year everyone! The new semester is starting and we’re all excited, right?... Right?

I’ve been talking to my peers and there’s been a phrase that’s been all too common among all of them: “I feel depressed,” (and not in the nonchalant, Gen Z way). This was surprising to hear because my friends are some of the happiest people I have ever met. But for all of them, the source of this melancholy seemed to stem from starting the new semester.

We all come to university and the new year with hopes and resolutions for the future. Naturally, while we’re able to complete some goals, others are left uncomplete and these failures can really mess with our mental health. For some, making these long lists of objectives can be beneficial in guiding and making progress. However, I think for the majority, setting all of these standards can do the exact opposite.

On one hand, yes, I fully agree that sometimes you have to put stuff down on paper to make it happen and some things need to follow a schedule. But on the other hand, I feel that into today's society, we’ve all grown impatient; If we don’t see results immediately, then we think, “Heck, I might as well give up,” or, “I’m just a failure.” I think what a lot of people seem to forget and need to hear is that change takes time and that trying to force change to happen isn’t always going to work.

Not everything is going to go as planned, but that’s just part of life. It’s how we overcome and face adversity that is important. Don’t let minor hiccups in your plan ruin your mental state because being stressed out about the past isn’t going to change anything. Instead, just view these obstacles as growing pains necessary for you to evolve. Whatever happens, happens so just keep on going and you will eventually reach your destination.

Here’s to 2020 and future self-growth. Let’s see what the year has in store for us this time!