Post #99 Fall 2020 Semester is Quickly Approaching
As COVID cases in the US are on the rise, employers, colleges, churches, and communities are scrambling. Many people have had enough with staying at home. Students want the ‘full’ college experience, and some are willing to take risks to get it. Fall 2020 semester is just around the corner and nothing is set in stone: masks or not, social distancing or not, in-person or online courses … nobody knows.
COVID-19 is Part of your Life Experience
The first thing you should know: interruptions are part of life. We make grand plans and often visualize a perfect future. Those plans and visuals almost never consider obstacles and setbacks. We dream, plan and execute, and sometimes those plans perfectly fall into place. And sometimes they don’t. When plans fail (see Post #86) or when something disrupts our perfect vision, the tendency is to panic or blame. But disruptions and obstacles are supposed to exist. WHAT?!?
Why You’re Here
It may be difficult to digest this right now. Allow me to put it in perspective. Humans must always continue to evolve and push themselves to do greater things. COVID-19 will become another historic event that will make us stronger and smarter. It is simply one of many forcing functions that will result in human progress. Imagine a world where people are always happy and everything is in line with your plans. That kind of world breeds people who are comfortable, entitled and secure. What’s wrong with that, you ask? The problem is that you don’t learn how to deal with challenges, unknowns or people. Thus, you waste the whole reason you’re on this planet: to evolve.
Nothing has Gone Wrong
Am I advocating that COVID-19 is a good thing and it’s okay that people suffer? No, that is not my stance. Rather, I’d like to help you understand that sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan. Sometimes life sucks. And sometimes we are forced to creatively cook up substitute plans and alternate routes. It doesn’t mean anything has gone wrong. And it doesn’t mean the world is against you. Bumps, obstacles and major disrupters have always been and will always be part of our human experience. If you can accept this concept instead of resisting reality, you will free up brain energy to be more productive.
Fall 2020 semester is going to happen, whatever it may look like. Embrace it as is. Do not cause yourself unnecessary pain by wishing things were different.
For additional tools and brain exercises to help you manage your COVID-19 circumstances, visit my YouTube video: Managing Student Life During COVID-19.
