Enjoying the simple things in life

Remember those days back in kindergarten when the most difficult decision of the day was if you wanted to color or play with Legos before you ate a snack and took a nap? Man, those days were awesome! Why can’t life still be that simple? Now we go around all day stressing about a test, debating about what to wear Saturday night and getting into silly fights with those we love.
Of course, there are bigger issues plaguing our minds such as who we think should run our country or the environmental problems we are having, which, I might add, has been causing me many wardrobe problems lately!
I imagine that we probably look similar to Charles Shultz’s Pig-Pen with all of our worries constantly following us, but, silly image aside, it has become a serious problem on college campuses across the country.
Too often we lose focus on what is truly important. Even a few years down the road, we will not remember how well we did on that gen. chem exam, but we will remember the experiences we had.
When was the last time you sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine with some friends or took a solitary walk down by the river? We live in such a beautiful place that is, for the most part, sheltered from the hustle and bustle of the “real world.” Soon enough we will be graduating and moving out of the Luther bubble where we will have even more problems to deal with.
I remember thinking when I was a first-year that I had all the time in the world to enjoy college but now that I am just past the halfway mark, I realize that this assumption was far from the truth. Although I will be the first to say that studying is of the utmost importance, a single assignment, test, or even class is not worth ruining friendships or spending your days with a stress-induced illness.
As this year continues, I would encourage all of you to take some time enjoying the simple things in life. This could be anything from going for a run in the crisp fall air or doing something you enjoy, like picking apples or making cookies with your best friends. As cliché as it sounds, this is the time of our lives. Don’t waste this gift. Enjoy it.