A new year has begun, a new semester has started, another semester of the remaining three semesters of my program and the last semester for the senior undergraduates! For some a lot of time is left and for some a few months. I see the senior undergraduates enjoying themselves, grabbing each opportunities to cherish them, living their moments with ecstasy each day of their last few months here.
Looking at them makes me wonder what is the reason behind this sudden exaggeration of ecstasy that we see in these last few month; what will become of all this once they graduate or once I graduate. Sometimes it struck me and I am sure most of you might also wonder the same that we cannot get over the fact that one day all this is going to end, the lectures, the hangouts, the night outs, the gossips, the fights and so many more everything of which will end and eventually dissolve.
There’s this quote from Ernest Becker on this notion that says- “Man is literally split into two: he has an awareness of his own splendid uniqueness in that he sticks out of nature with a towering majesty, and yet he goes back into the ground a few feet in order blindly and dumbly to rot and disappear forever!
Perhaps this might be one of the greatest existential bummer of our four years here. Beautiful things can sometimes make us sad, maybe that’s why we get nostalgic about our stay here when we approach towards the end. This is the reason why we are filled with temporary sadness living those moments. We see the transience while getting lost over the thought of this coming to an end. So how do we respond to this thought? Do we push ourselves harder or do we not care at all?
There is a mental habit that we all have- we rarely come out of our comfort zones! For the past 3 years doing almost the same thing again and again with little difference we kind of get used to life, we kind of neglect the stimuli from lesser important things. But even the least important things when given attention can surprise us. So in response to this existential bummer we start giving attention to every small little details that can surprise us. Our minds contemplate in such a way that gives us an experience of such perceptual vastness that literally forces you to reconfigure your mental models so as to assimilate it and this is what is called awesomeness as explained by Jason Silva. This is what helps us cherish those final moments, this is that transient period that fill us with ecstasy and what is the result of it- memories are made!
Right now some of us might be enjoying their time here while some might be cribbing about it. As long as we let go and give significant attention to those small good things that surrounds us and can make us feel good you’ll never reach that state of awe! So don’t ever let anyone or anything feel you down. Just let go of all the delusions and stress and start re configuring your mind to prepare yourself for the transience, to the temporary melancholy while making the most of the present, and then when this ends you’ll have created a tale to tell to the world.
Usually I don’t learn article on blogs, but I would
like to say that this write-up very compelled me to try and do it!
Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thanks, quite great post.
Very well written!!