Happy Thanksgiving, or if you don’t celebrate — Happy Thursday.
No matter your beliefs, the holidays are always a good time to stop and reflect on the past year — to think about what there is left to do before the calendar year draws to a close and what has been accomplished so far. This isn't the time to wallow in regret about what could have been different, but the time to appreciate what happened.
Ask yourself: What is one thing that happened this year that I am thankful for? Or even what has happened in this semester that I am thankful for? It can be something as simple as being thankful campus was fully in-person again.
At the same time, some of us may have underestimated the difficulty of transitioning from online classes to all in-person. This semester was tough, but also the closest we’ve gotten to normal in a long time. The all in-person semester may feel like a relief and an burden all at the same time.
Going into finals week immediately after a break is always difficult. This semester will be no different. There’s a way to survive it though: by overcoming the victim mindset many of us tend to slip into around this time.
The victim mindset is basically a big pity party. You feel like things only happen to you, and everything is out of your control. It’s very easy to think this way, especially with something as uncontrollable as a pandemic interrupting life.
According to Forbes, there are four signs that you have may have adopted a temporary victim mindset:
- You think most people’s lives are better than yours.
- You aren’t happy with your life but you give numerous reasons why you can’t change things.
- You excessively use negative language.
- You have a tendency to blame other people and forces for the problems and challenges in your life.
One way to overcome this mindset is by being thankful for the things that have come, and things that have yet to come. It allows you to shift into a creator mindset which aims to lift people out of their rut and make what felt unachievable achievable.
Instead of repeating the same negative thought process, acknowledge the good in your life and how you can actively work to create more good.
Adopting this mindset can be simple as seeking solutions, trying something new or taking actions instead of accepting whatever happens to you.
In preparation for finals, if you’ve spent the whole semester studying in your room, try studying at the library. And while it may seem like it's too late to talk to a professor about your grades, the worst thing they can say is no.
In any case, making small changes to your routine, even this late in the game, may set you up for a year where you start being an active participant in your education and life.
Even if this semester didn’t go exactly as you planned, there is always time to improve. Don’t think about what could have been, but focus on improving your mindset and acknowledging the growth that’s coming.
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