Stop and Stare

It's easy to get caught up in how busy life is.
It's easy to let yourself get caught up in a routine (because that's how it HAS to be or you wouldn't get done with all the stuff that needs to get done, right??).
It's easy to let yourself just walk from place to place and become numb to your surroundings because you're either walking too fast to pay attention or because you've seen it so many times that it's all so mundane.

It's easy, but don't.

That's what I've learned over the past few weeks.
I've learned that when you actually take the time you have to slow down and talk to someone from your Spanish class last semester (even when you probably should be walking to the stupid business school) you see things and people you normally don't. And the funny thing is, they're there all the time, but normally you're too busy walking to notice. If you take the time you actually DO HAVE (if you'll let yourself realize that) and slow down a little, I think you'll find that people and things actually come to you. You don't always have to seek them.
If you actually take the time to sit in the arboretum and do your reading during a break, you might actually get to SEE the ebb and flow of classes. See how empty campus can be even at 2 in the afternoon if it's the right time, and see how the sidewalks are suddenly innudated again.

A lot of my classes this semester are about seeing. Seeing from the perspective of a writer, a reader, and a photographer. My journalism professor is encouraging us to look at things in new ways. He says we tend to "tune out" the things in our lives that we see everyday and thus take for granted.

And he's right.

To the people who don't try because they think trying is beneath them:

I have something to say.
If you're making excuses and not trying because you think the stuff you have to do is bullshit or stupid or pointless, here's some news:

There will ALWAYS be bullshit in your life. There will ALWAYS be a situation you don't like. There will ALWAYS be things you don't want to do because you think they are stupid.

Newsflash.
It DOES NOT stop in high school. College has bullshit too. It's forever and ever and ever. It's part of living in society. Maybe it's part of being human. You have to put up with bullshit.

Waiting around for high school to be over...waiting for "when things actually start to matter" is actually bullshit in itself. And an attitude like that only makes you look stupid, and no one will ever give you an ounce of respect.
In fact, if you have an attitude like that, God help you. Because chances are NOTHING will ever be important enough to matter to you. When the things you thought you'd care about roll around, you'll probably start to see the bullshit and give up once again. Go you.

Trying is not beneath you. You have to put up with the bullshit to get to the important stuff. And more importantly, you have to put up with the bullshit in order get high enough to actually CHANGE the system (so don't use that as an excuse either).

Point: You're not better than everyone else. Get over yourself. Suck it up and give a damn.

But I can't make you learn this. You've gotta get it yourself. I just hope you don't wake up to realize it too late.