Bethel students are known for being busy. Seriously, not like your average college student busy, I mean really busy. As a small liberal arts college, Bethel encourages one to get involved with their college experience.
Bethel students also happen to be incredibly driven and skilled in many areas. The result is, as I said, lots of busy students around campus. As someone who often feels overwhelmed with a busy schedule, I was struggling to be completely happy with my life of moving from one class, job, practice, etc. to the next.
This is due in part to the way I would view my schedule. There were three categories: free time (time to watch TV, sleep or whatever else I want); homework time; and scheduled time (practice, class or work). Free time is hard to find in my schedule and I found myself only able to be truly happy during this time. All other time was hours I had to grind through in order to get to my next block of free time.
Recently, I decided to make a switch in the way I perceived my time. All time, regardless of the category, was an opportunity to find happiness. Rather than surviving class or begrudgingly walking into work just waiting for my shift to be over, I decided to look at these hours as part of my happiness.
When I study, I make it a point to take breaks and talk to people or study with a small group of people. While I am focused in class, I try to participate and engage classmates in discussion. Suddenly the busy schedule seems like less of a burden and more of a blessing.
Like everyone else I enjoy my free time and time alone. I have come to find that the students at Bethel are incredibly special, and the more I talk to people, the more I want to understand their thoughts and beliefs or simply share a laugh with them.
My advice to my fellow Bethel students and future Bethel students is to embrace the busy schedule and the stress that comes with it. Find ways to experience joy and happiness through it all.
Bethel surrounds its students with caring professors, diverse and intelligent students and opportunities for work as well as play. My days left as a student at Bethel are numbered but I look forward to each one.
-Eric
The picture captures the joy of waking up early to photograph a Kansas sunsrise.