Don't Cheat Yourself While You Are Young

Caitlin H.

March 14, 2010 - 5:58 PM

A healthy reminder that my time in Eugene is possibly coming to an end: finals start tomorrow. After finals week I will have four credits left to earn to graduate with my two degrees and two minors. Not to sound poetic but, time sure has flown by.

Getting ready for finals takes focus, determination, and (in my opinion) a splash of complete ignorance for the stresses that await us all. My best work doesn't come from spending all day in the library and never getting a breath of fresh air. The productivity of my limited hours in the library hinges on my ability to escape. This weekend's breath of fresh air: Mt. Pisgah.

Surprisingly enough, Mt. Pisgah was one of those places I hadn't been to yet but had been meaning to investigate since I first arrived in this city. The hike was worth the wait. The views were incredible, the quiet trails were as restful for the mind as the quiet section of the library, and the emergence of spring flowers helped put a cap on this winter term.

The hike up falls somewhere between steep incline and moderate slope; you go up about 1,000 feet in just under 1.5 miles. It was worth stopping for a snack about halfway to appreciate the journey and drink in some of the view. At first, the bench I was sitting on was just another bench - well-placed, standard height and angle of recline, popular among visitors. But as I was leaving I thought to read the dedication plaque out of curiosity. "Don't cheat yourself while you're young," it said. What a wonderful quote.

Most of the remaining afternoon was spent contemplating all the ways that quote could be applied. In fact, there are moments I catch myself still thinking about it. Here I am waiting to hear back from the last grad schools I applied to, trying to decide the next chapter of my life, gearing up for finals, poking my nose into job applications and potential career choices, and I feel like the whole world is before me. All that is left is to pick a path. And if I do the right thing, I won't pick a path that cheats my potential or sells myself short. I'm at that point in my life where I can throw myself into anything and everything, and after making some careful choices, turn those passions into a lifetime of enthusiasm.

Before I wax poetic a little more I will leave you to find the ways you can apply quotes from a public bench to your own life. In the meantime I need to ‘not cheat' myself and apply myself to my studies. Good luck during finals week to all you college students! And to you non students, don't cheat yourself - do something adventurous today!