Maintaining Energy for the Beginning of the End
Brace yourselves – finals are coming. We are in the home stretch of the semester. It is a bit crazy to think that immediately after break, we have one short week before we dive headlong into our final papers and exams, ready or not. In honor of this time of year, I put up the following poster in my apartment (along with our lovely Christmas decorations).
Despite the coming all-nighters and endless cups of coffee, let me just take a moment to revel in the goodness that was Thanksgiving Break. Yes, it was short. Yes, I came back last Friday and was instantly reminded of how much homework I still had to finish before the week began. Aside from these things, however, I was still able to find the energy and motivation to continue on. How exactly? To be completely honest, much of it begins with Doctor Who.
Now, for those of you who don’t know, I absolutely adore the BBC show Doctor Who. It’s one of my favorites, and one I always watch with my little brother. The show has been around for 50 years (yes, 50), and BBC America released a special to celebrate the show’s record-breaking run. Thankfully, this premiered the weekend I returned home for the break, so I was fortunate enough to be able to watch it with my brother. We spent the majority of the day in our pajamas and in front of the TV, enjoying the British goodness that unfolded before us. We screamed, we laughed, and, yes, we even ventured to let out a few tears. We basically presented the perfect picture of enthusiasm to my parents, who just watched us in confusion.
This picture of enthusiasm is something I am trying to maintain as I do my best to finish strongly this semester. While these moments at home were simple, they remind me of the reflection of a greater enthusiasm that should be maintained. One awesome thing about movies, shows, music, and other media is that it ignites a spark within each of us. Something about these art forms taps into our humanity and makes us think, feel, and become enthused over what we see and hear. Since we were all created in the image of God, we can notice how these elements of enthusiasm are reflections of Him. This fact was reiterated to me through the remainder of break – we crave community with family, which serves as a reflection of our craving for intimacy with the Creator. We crave food because it enlivens us and points to the goodness of God. Goodness in all things proves to me that each of my desires is for Him, the author of all goodness and beauty. We are made to want more of Him, and all things in creation can point us back to Him.
Bearing all of this in mind, I dig deep into the recesses of my brain to finish all of my remaining projects and papers and prepare to do well on each exam. The life I am living and all things in it are truly a gift, and I plan to live fully as I head into the beginning of the end of yet another semester at a university I love. Carry on, sailors, and live well.
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