Motivation AKA Spring Break 2018
I’ve decided to begin writing paragraph-long reflections on a particular topic. Today’s topic is motivation. That’s right, folks. Motivation. Why am I writing this, you ask? Because right now I am experiencing rest, more important than any major, minor, or extracurricular, or any combination of the above. The type of rest that one usually does not experience in college, the type of rest where you get away from campus, away from anything Vandy, and remember that you have a life (somewhat) outside of being a Vanderbilt student. The kind of rest where you can sleep for quite literally 15 hours a day or watch TV for the same and it doesn’t even matter. So let’s talk motivation. The thing with feathers (I know, that’s hope, but here it’s motivation) that dies as soon as I get to any sort of break. At this point, it is Wednesday night, and being home for Spring Break still seems unreal. Suddenly, I’m allowed to stay inside the house all day, wear whatever I want, eat whatever I want, and watch hours of television or read until I’m tired. At this point last year, I was in Denver, Colorado, volunteering with religious sisters at a nursing home. Although I learned a lot, I actually had to get up every morning and do things. At night, I had exams to study for. But with three exams out of the way last week, I have nothing to get me off the couch, into real clothes, or away from my stash of dark chocolate. So, the motivation is low. In the past four or so days, I’ve started to fill out a request for funding for a conference I hope to attend, gotten all the documents for a passport renewal for my project this summer, thought about practicing for Musicianship and studying for my Bio Lab exam, and done a few MCAT flashcards (I plan to take it this time, next year). Which, at Vandy, would be about 2 hours of work. At home, it stretches into four days. Such is Spring Break. Such is motivation.