“Oh, that’s what happened?”

An Elective on Perspective

by UMES Junior Brittany Johnson

“Oh, that’s what happened?”

At the beginning of each new year, New Year’s resolutions are often made. Well, for me, I make my resolutions at the end of each semester. Here we are, right before Thanksgiving break. I’m already promising myself what I’ll do better next time, and threatening myself to do as much as I can right now. Thus, I’ve been brought to my next revelation. I am an “after the fact” chick. You know, one of those “…oh” moments; except it’s not a moment, it’s continuous. It happens after conversations, tests, assignments, presentations, arguments, complete classes, and even relationships. We’ll just say that it befalls during my life moments in general. I understand it all…after the fact.

How does this work being in school? It doesn’t. Trust me, I’m a junior. I’ve been at this for a while and I’ve been hitting the same brick wall for 5 semesters. I tell myself that this semester will be it; I’ll concentrate, give procrastination its walking papers, and routinely study for each of my classes each day. Needless to say that doesn’t happen. Nothing even close to my aforementioned resolution occurs. Why? Because I’m miss “after the fact”; how I can be ahead of the game and a step behind at the same time? I do not know. *cue violin*

This has led me to my next realization; each moment deserves its own consideration. Not many people evaluate each moment as its own span of time encompassing requirements that need to be met in order to profit the best possible outcome. I’ve come across difficulties that I’ve let get away from me without being conquered because I was caught up with other things that shouldn’t have been a factor. I’ll do my Biochemistry homework and subsequently forfeit doing my Nutrition in the Life Cycle worksheets. If I’ve gotten an A on one test, I won’t worry about the C on another. If I don’t talk to one person anymore, it’s okay because I still have other friends. When in reality, if my thought process didn’t include EVERYTHING in my life I would be able to effectively decipher each situation and handle it with the attentiveness that it deserves to ensure that every aspect of my life has been handled by me; instead of my thoughtlessness because my mind was elsewhere.

And where is elsewhere, you ask? Not here! Therefore, it doesn’t matter right now. You would be surprised what you can accomplish with a clear head. Calm down, breathe, focus, refocus, and then handle your business. Don’t bring yesterday’s thoughts into today’s conversation because they may no longer be relevant; facts, people, and due dates change overnight. You can only be weighed down when you carry one situation into another. Free your mind and the rest will follow. *Insert baseline*  

You’ve just taken, An Elective on Perspective.

UMES Family!

Leave a comment.

SUBSCRIBE to Real Life @ UMES!

Look to the right of the blog posts to: Submit your email address, or subscribe by RSS Feed on My Yahoo, Google, in a Reader, etc.

SHARE our blog with other people interested in Real Life @ UMES.

If you are a UMES student, faculty, or staff member and you would like to join our Blog Team, please send an email request to: communications@umes.edu to receive an application.

The Real Life @ UMES Blog is a place for our commentary and opinions about what life is really like @ the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. It is not designed to express the views and opinions of the University as a whole. Peace.