By Parnika Deora
Stress is like Cersei Lannister. It is annoying, you feel frustrated with the way it takes a toll on you and at times you feel like strangulating it.
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There is no particular stage in life when you shall feel stress pounding on you because it latches onto you from the beginning. Being a student, I feel cheated. Bollywood showed us that we might struggle throughout our school life but when we get to college, life turns grandiose. From finding the love of your life to making some great buddies is what we hoped college would be.
A BIGGER SCAM THAN 2G:
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That’s when reality kicks you in the shins and all what college actually brings to your life is – Assignments, work, internships, competition, friends (some great- some not worth mentioning) and if you have a good ‘time management’ gene then, some crazy hangouts. Somewhere while you start learning how to cope with all this baggage, stress starts creeping in when you’re sitting on your laptop and it suddenly dawns on you- ‘What now?!’
The 1st year usually goes into easing into the carefree ethos of college life and enjoying the newly found freedom. The 2nd year starts off with promises of getting better marks and being more efficient with internships, assignments etc. but soon reality creeps in. Just as the final year starts, so does the panic.
I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS!
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College validates a stereotypical view of marriage- the beginning seems exciting and thrilling but as one goes down the line it starts becoming monotonous and irritating, leaving out some exceptions. Let me share with you what I expected out of college and what it turned out to be-
Expectation: Late mornings, styling up and getting free soon!
Reality: classes from 8-4, not getting the time to doll up and yawning all through the day.
Expectation: Bunking classes, no care in the world, doing assignments on whims.
Reality: Having low attendance that almost landed me in trouble, stressing at the last moment over which assignment to do first because procrastination turned out to be an even bigger b**** than Karma.
MID-SEMESTER CRISIS
Social convention dictates that you should be clear about your future course of action by the third year. If it’s MBA then hunt for coaching, if it’s Masters then worry about your resume and portfolio, if it’s something else then be ready to answer all your relatives and friends.
The stress that we feel during this period is what I would like to term as the ‘Mid-Sem Crisis’. People go through a mid-life crisis in their early forties and, in the same way, college students also go through a mid-semester crisis when they have absolutely no clue as to what they would want to do for the rest of their lives. If you’re a fresher reading this article, then don’t worry, your time will come too.
LOAD, AIM, SHOOT!
College is a hell lot of fun and you will have some of your best moments in college, so it is important that you tackle the stress that it throws at you with your ‘damn you’ attitude!
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Don’t let this stress feed on you! Being confused and stressed is normal till the time it helps you to wake up and smell the coffee. Get motivated and start working with zeal for something that gives you happiness. This isn’t just a clichéd dialogue but in reality, when you love what you’re doing, it becomes effortless and also becomes your best mentor.
It will help you in deciding your future course of action. If you don’t have over-achieving friends, then talk to them and share your grief with them. It helps.
Go apeshit! Think about what you like, evaluate its feasibility, think about its future prospects and put in all your heart and soul into it. That’s how dreams manifest into reality.
OR…
If the ‘Mid-Sem Crisis’ gets you, then just do what you would have done to Cersei. Strangle it.
Graphics Credits: Google, Giffy
