A Life in Juxtaposition

While being in college we are presented with a ton of different opportunities every day that shape how we define ourselves. Whether that means going Greek, joining the Alligator, or getting a job on campus, everything we do makes up who we are. As we grow up we are faced with loads of decisions, some more important than others.

Do you start studying tonight or do you go out? Do you hang out with someone you haven’t seen in years or someone you see everyday? Do you call home for money or just to talk with mom or dad? These are questions that we face every day. There’s no simple solution to any of these questions because they are all situational.

The reason behind each answer, whether you realize it or not, comes down to two choices you are subconsciously processing: Is it fun or is it an obligation? The difference between the words “want” and “need” are catastrophic. Do you want to see your friend from out of town or do you NEED to see them? At what point does something that you used to think was fun become an obligation? The simplicity
behind this idea is what shapes every decision we make on a daily basis. Do you actually enjoy working out because you value your health or is it to get that six-pack so the girl sitting 3 seats away from you in your Calculus class will maybe hold eye-contact for more than just a second every Thursday?

Think about your life right now. Why are you reading this article? Is someone holding a gun to your head or have you decided that taking 2 minutes to read this article would give you more pleasure than watching 2 minutes of season 4 of Breaking Bad? I’ll make you a bet. If you didn’t like this article and it didn’t bring something positive into your life you will never read another word from
GainesvilleScene ever again because the moment something stops being fun and starts to be an obligation, all intrinsic value is lost. Have you ever read a book for school and hated every single second of it (obligation) versus reading a book you’ve picked out from a bookstore on your own and wanted to tell every person you know about what you read and what you learned from it?

We are humans, we do everything for a reason and the majority of the time those reasons are selfish. So before you continue with your day, do yourself a favor and ask just ask yourself, “Do I really want to sit through 2 hours of financial accounting? Is 6 hours of dance a day really what I want to be doing? Do I want to go see my girlfriend/boyfriend, or do I NEED to?” It really puts life in perspective, doesn’t it? It’s your life, your time, and your own decisions. Don’t let life pass you by.

(Photo: Monster)