“Don’t blink, you might miss it.”
I have a lot of trouble with this phrase.
The fear of missing out is a crippling one, and “don’t blink” only empowers the anxiety we naturally feel about not being able to do everything. While the phrase is supposed to encourage us to live in the moment and enjoy things while they last, it actually makes us fear change and endings.
Not all endings are bad, and in fact most endings indicate a beginning. We live in cycles, and just because one ends doesn’t mean the next one will be dissatisfying.
As I come to the end of my first year of college, I’m starting to realize that my days here will expire. Each semester has an end date, and eventually I’ll graduate and leave this place behind for a new beginning.
I won’t lie and say I’m not scared of the future or that I don’t fear missing out. I already miss this place and the friends that have become family, and I haven’t even left yet.
Part of me is trying not to blink. I’m trying to value as much of my time here as I can. But we have to let some things pass and welcome new arrivals with an open mind. If I never blinked, my eyes would hurt.
Victim to Charm 
Enjoy your college years. I have been writing out graduation cards all week for friends that mean the world to us, but in most cases we may not know 5 years from now. Write real letters and cards save phone numbers. …and use the phone to make a call once in awhile. Be the person who stayed in touch. You will find out more from your classmates in the long run than the professors ever taught you.
LikeLike
Thank you–it’s hard to believe college is 1/4 over for me already, but I have already learned so much both inside and outside the classroom.
LikeLike
I was a serial attender of college. All told, I went three different times. My last and most successful jaunt in my 30s. The lessons I learned outside the classroom have always been the most profound and shaped me the most. And never be afraid to blink. Sometimes we need to blink to see clearly. And at first look, some things might not appear what they actually are. Great post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I agree about sometimes needing to blink to understand situations fully.
LikeLike
stop i miss you and love this <3 sorry I am so late to the blog party but now I have time to read it all!!! miss you roomie! and I feel the same way about endings, and thats why I try to capture moments because otherwise I'll forget about how special they are (like that cute pic of us haha) :)
LikeLike
STOP you are the greatest <3 I miss you too girl, let's capture a million and one more moments together :)
LikeLike
I agree, I think the phrase “don’t blink” creates a lot of pressure for college students to do everything all the time, when in reality we need to slow down and take it all in every now and then. I feel the same way with the expression “college will be the best four years of your life” because it creates an expectation that might not be true – college, just like everything else in life, has its ups and downs that both need to be appreciated. Anyway, love the positive mindset you put forth in this post, and it’s cool to read a fellow rising sophomore’s thoughts!
Also, I just looked at your tags: do you go to Ithaca college in New York?
PS: I’m going to publish a post in a couple of hours about hookup culture in college, it’d be wonderful if you could check it out. (:
LikeLike
Thank you! I agree, college is wonderful but it also has its limitations and struggles that high school didn’t have and “real world adulthood” won’t have. It’s completely unique.
Yes, I go to Ithaca College! and I’ll be sure to read yours, hookup culture is definitely controversial.
LikeLike
Pingback: Six Months? | Victim to Charm