As finals approach, it’s very easy to become complacent and start going through the motions to get yourself to summer. Though this could be an effective coping mechanism in some situations, adopting this mindset long-term will leave your life a blur.

Mindlessly moving from task to task with no goal other than finishing will eventually leave you unsatisfied. Before you know it, your college career is over and your life is whizzing by. Life won’t wait for you to decide what you enjoy or what kind of person you want to be. If you just sit by and don’t experience anything, you’ll realize one day you are somewhere or someone you don’t want to be.

Trying to live a more conscious life can help make the stressful times more meaningful to begin with. Instead of just trying to finish your lab report or get through your midterm, if you are living consciously, you can choose to take classes and be in a major you are genuinely excited for. That way when you have a difficult stretch of work, you are aware of the big picture and how rewarding it will be to do well.

Being more conscious of your decisions can be a difficult task to achieve. Some people are not even aware of their complacency until they realize something is missing from their life. One way to begin being more conscious of your actions is to stop forcing yourself to do things that make you unhappy.

Many people pick a major, a job or a group of friends because someone else tells them it’s what’s best for them. It’s very easy to push yourself through something you hate based solely upon the fact it’s something you have done for so long. If you begin to dislike something, become aware of its burden in your life and try to fix it, change it or remove it altogether.

I often catch myself thinking of where I will be in 10 years.  If the thing bothering me does not appear to be a stepping stone to where I want to be in a decade, I just ask myself why it’s a part of my life in the first place.

Another way to be more deliberate in your actions is by choosing to surround yourself with people who have a positive impact on you. There is no need for negative or toxic people to drag you down. Choosing a supportive friend group as opposed to a large friend group could be the difference you need.

Complacency is an easy trap to fall into. Be kinder to yourself. All it takes is asking what makes you happy and what doesn’t. Being aware of these differences will make you more grateful for the opportunities you have.

Abby is a sophomore in LAS.

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