While procrastinating on my assignments during this mid-semester break, I found myself looking at journals from earlier this year. They were all about me looking forward to things ahead or reminiscing on memories. Then I came across a journal which simply said “I can wait.”

It smelt like heaven in the greenhouse.

Even the pukeko was enjoying the serenity.

 

We’re always wanting to move onto the next thing, wanting to rush time, constantly saying “I can’t wait..” It’s good to have something to look forward to, it gives us motivation to continue on. But this mindset can sometimes cause us to miss out on what we have in the present.

This next half of the semester is going to be a stressful one. With exams, assignment due dates, flat hunting, money saving and car searching all crammed into the next couple of months, I’m beginning to feel the stress hit me. I find myself always yearning for time to go by faster. It used to be “I can’t wait… to finish college, to move back to California, to get out of California, to go to university. Now I’m pushing time so that I can get a car, finish my exams, live in a stable flat, go see Jack Johnson, see my family and finish my degree.

 

I’ll warn you now, time only goes by faster when you get to uni. So embrace the moments you have now. The good and the bad. When you’re stressing out about exams and assignments, the mind always urges time to go by faster. There are times I used to say “I can’t wait to move out of the CBD,” but I became aware that I hadn’t seized all the moments I should have living here. Now that I’ve realised my time living in the city is ending, I’m walking to the city everyday and sitting at the Domain to write. Take this advice and be PRESENT. Every good and bad moment will bring about so much growth even when you don’t think it will.

 

Although there’s so many things I’m wanting to happen and at times it really feels like I really can’t wait any longer, I can. I’m constantly having to remind myself to embrace the present no matter how stressful or heartbreaking. If I’m really wanting to live my best life I need to focus on the present and look at what I can work on now. There’s so many good things happening around me and I need to stop looking so far ahead so I can enjoy them.

I know everyone keeps saying it, but time goes by so fast in uni, so appreciate every single moment. Here’s to enjoying every high and low of the present. I can wait. And trust me, you can too.