I hate to say this about our generation, but y’all, we have forgotten the beauty of simplicity— the glorious, hazed euphoria of that first jolt of coffee in the morning, the sharp electricity of hair standing on edge when it’s about to rain, an ear fine tuned to the familiar, booming laugh of a dear friend.
We no longer take time to slow down and enjoy the moments that actually make up real living. “Real living” being the happiness and satisfaction found in every day life.
Even when you don’t feel like you are accomplishing anything scientifically spectacular or conquering the world of fashion, remember that there is no time like the present.
For most of us, real life isn’t Malibu or Pepperdine. Students come from all over the world, bringing with them about 18 years of built-up ambition and drive so fervent that hamsters in a wheel could match the pace.
Each day is a streamline of meetings, classes and homework — obligations that dizzy us until any remaining energy is exhausted. Stress begins to eat away at our joy (and sometimes our stomach lining) to the point where happiness is derived purely from sleep and Netflix.
There are obvious dangers to this mindless pattern, but the less obtrusive threat is that our relationship with reality is lost.
We become consumed by the task lists and misplace the passion that got us to this point. We forget the reasons that we loved photography or accounting and suddenly we are living from weekend to weekend, stuck inside the Pepperdine bubble.
We only have four years in college.
Time is running out, and college in your early 20s isn’t possible to do over. Can we force ourselves to slow down enough to enjoy where we are?
I’m not asking for a massive overhaul of the Pepperdine psyche. Don’t stop being go-getters, trendsetters, hipsters, odd energy-drink marketers and app entrepreneurs.
But never forget to be thrill seekers, tree huggers, midnight joggers, leaf collectors and above all, dreamers. That’s why we came here to Pepperdine. That’s what makes us unique.
Revive the old rush of driving with the windows down, music blasting. Feel awe when that sun sets over the ocean or when you ride the barrel of a crashing wave. Always relish the times when you pick up a package at the mailbox, and talk to Marina when you swipe for food at the Caf.
Living in the moment doesn’t mean being reckless or sidestepping your self-discipline, but merely taking the time to enjoy the little moments that make each day another day of having life.
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Follow Connor Shewmake on Twitter: @connorshewmake
