William H. Kelly III
Editor-in-Chief
Imagine you have finally returned to your residence hall after a long and tiring day on campus. You have just mentally planned the rest of your night to devote it to homework assignments and extracurricular responsibilities. The instant you fall onto your bed and exhale, you feel your phone vibrating and it is your friend calling and wondering why you aren’t at an important event.
Too often, situations such as these affect our college students daily causing stress, delay, and confusion. Distractions on a collegiate level compares nothing to our subsidiary high school distractions, which prevents a smoother transition.
Many of us may not know how to properly classify something as a distraction in our lives and therefore disregard it. Distractions can range from people, to objects, and even hobbies. I personally identify the distractions in my life as those things that consume my time and/or constantly prevent me from accomplishing my duties and responsibilities.
Some common distractions we all experience are typically a significant other, which includes friends and all baes at the time, organizations and extracurricular activities, and even ourselves. The list could go on.
For those of you who may be slightly shook about being your own obstacle, take a few seconds to ponder on the theory.
While there are endless things that act as distractions daily, WE serve as one of our most consequential distractions. Staying focused, for me, is one of the most strenuous tasks to overcome. Mainly because I have ADHD but that is beside the point.
I’ve witnessed on numerous occasions, and of course my own experiences, how easily college students are “unable” to complete things such as homework or attend an event from the simplest of things when they are not motivated to do so.
When students lack interest, we will take advantage of the smallest obstacles thrown at us. For example, when the A/C is not working in our residence halls, it is too hot to think properly, when the lights cut off for just a few seconds, we act as if it shut down for a week, and lastly the most popular excuse, if the Wi-Fi was not working last week we will use that in a heartbeat.
Breaking these habits and separating yourself from the distractions in your life will require effort, self-control, and time. Anything in your life that provides pleasure and happiness will never be easy to let go but I believe it is a fair trade when these distractions inflict more long-term stress.
In order to fully achieve throughout college, one must become self-aware of the things in their life that are serving as road blocks, whether they are extreme or minor. Remember to take time out of your day to re-evaluate anyone or anything that may be preventing your greatness from shining academically, socially, and more.
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