Don’t settle for provisional living

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By: Sunanna Bhasin/Opinions Columnist

It came up during my literature class, this idea of living provisionally.

As it was described, I felt somewhat enlightened. There were suddenly words I could use to explain the feeling that I, and many of you, have experienced and may still experience too often. It is the feeling of dread that what you’re doing doesn’t interest you. You look forward to the weekend because as soon as it arrives, you can relax and do what you really want. In some cases, this can’t be helped. We all have those hectic weeks full of midterms and assignments that make us pray for a break. Just a few more days, and it’ll be Reading Week. Just one more month, and the term will be over. But this can be unhealthy if it becomes our entire month, or even worse, our entire year.

Ever hear students say: “Once I finish my undergrad, complete med school, and do my residency, then I can relax and live the life that I want?” It’s almost too common. Multiple people in my life used to encourage me to pursue med school, and when I showed any sort of uncertainty, they’d simply say, “think about how amazing your life will be when the schooling is over.” I never questioned the idea of living provisionally until I was introduced to the language that allowed me to talk about it, and then challenge it. Unless I enjoy the journey, why should I suffer for years doing something I get zero pleasure from only to reap financial benefits in the end?

University may not be the cliché “best time of your life,” but it should be a good time nonetheless — a time for personal growth, learning, and dare I say it, even some fun. For the first year and a half at McMaster, all I could think about was graduation and how much of a relief it would be to get out. Looking back, I know it was because I didn’t care for a few of my courses and because I may have been experiencing an identity crisis.

Now is the time for us to explore various subjects and join extracurricular activities that we want to be part of, not just because we need to fulfill a certain requirement for the next stage in our life. Spoiler alert: sometimes they go hand in hand.

Of course there’ll be times when you’ll find you’re overwhelmed and only want to live for the weekend, but I hope you’ll find a good balance that’ll allow you to take on university with a smile on your face, with a love for what you’re doing, and a purpose and sense of belonging. It could take a while to get there, and sometimes you may find that it’s easier to keep your eyes on your feet and continue on a path that you don’t necessarily find worthwhile, without looking up and re-evaluating your situation.

But I can guarantee that you’ll find your time at school to be much more fulfilling when you’re happy and in a space that you want to be in. So if you’re considering switching programs, but the hassle is stopping you, it won’t compare to being in a program that doesn’t fit your interests. If you’re dying to try a new extracurricular but are scared of taking the first step – do it. I wouldn’t be at The Silhouette if I hadn’t just made up my mind and stuck to it. It could change your entire university experience for the better. So please, dear students don’t settle. Don’t settle for monotony if you find that’s where you’re stuck. Don’t settle for provisional living.

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