It’s the end of October, and the school year has really gotten into its stride. So have the midterms, the homework and the associated stress. It is a busy time — and one that lends itself to tests outside the purely academic realm as well.
Remember all of those friends you met during Wildcat Welcome? The collaborative, welcoming atmosphere is something I remember quite well and fondly. Now would seem an apt time to reflect on those fledgling relationships and determine which ones were fleeting and which ones actually stand up to the storm. It’s a time to focus not only on yourself but also on others around you.
It goes without saying that people have their own challenges. It is asinine to discriminate between majors, to internally categorize people and determine who has a more difficult course load than you do or to listen to your friend complain about a rough week, only so that you may recount an even more trying experience. Everyone is very busy and very challenged, and most classes are difficult in their own ways.
Instead, it is a time for us to help each other. Though you may not be interested in your friend’s physics homework at 11 p.m. when you have a midterm the next day, your choice to help them says a lot about you. It reflects the spirit that I have seen time and again at Northwestern: to help out as much as possible even when you need help yourself. All of those upperclassmen who decided to be peer advisers or help out during Wildcat Welcome probably had hectic schedules, but they decided to help out because they knew what it was like for them when they first came here, and they wanted to make it as easy as possible for their younger colleagues. If they were kind enough to display such a willingness to help, it is only fair that we try to do the same for each other, regardless of how much studying we have to do.
Whatever your preferences and habits, if you are in a group, the absolute worst thing you can do is don your earbuds and start jamming out to your iPod. I know it’s the chic 21st century thing to do, and maybe I’m old fashioned, or maybe I just haven’t read enough psychology papers proving that music makes us more productive, but it depersonalizes us in a technocracy already rife with new ways to widen the rift between human beings who are sitting at the same table. It also looks completely ridiculous, especially given the circumstances. Those of you familiar with the Michael Bolton scene at the beginning of “Office Space” can vouch for that statement. Instead of listening to music, ask your study buddies if they need help with anything, and actually listen to them. Also, don’t be in a rush to only get your work done and then leave; that’s extremely rude, as is ignoring other people’s questions, even if they are not related to your class. The very least you can do is try to help, and the worst that could happen is that you won’t know the answer. You might have taken up less time than the standard Internet surfing, Facebook space-out session takes up anyways.
It is also crucial not to let your other interests wither. I am not referring to the oft-cited sports, clubs or other social activities, although they should also not be neglected. I am referring to the things that spark your curiosity during the summer, during breaks and during periods when you have nothing else to do. The things which you were curious about in and of themselves. Don’t let them fall by the wayside just because of a strenuous workload — that would be a shame. It is not always easy to maintain your peripheral intellectual indulgences when you have so much to learn, but it is definitely worth it. Go check out that article on Wikipedia about Lord Mountbatten if you feel like it; after all, you didn’t become that friend who knows fascinating, obscure, but practically useless information just by doing the required readings.
Antonio Petkov is a McCormick freshman. He can be reached at [email protected]. If you want to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected].
