Time Constraints

"Student Life"

I remember having a conversation with a friend at school, around the time everyone was signing up for Oklahoma auditions, about how much of a time commitment the play would be. It was the only thing holding me back from auditioning, but for her, it was the reason why she would sign up. She said she didn't like having free time. It puzzled me that someone could have a problem like that. I'm always fighting for more time and wishing I had a few more lifetimes so I might have enough time to satisfy my interests. I'm a perfectionist to a fault, making everything I do take an eternity. Sometimes I think having a sort of hit and run approach on everything I do would be useful, but I can't change the way I am, and I don't see how that would give any sense of reward in the long run.

Anyhow, these last few weeks have been a blizzard of assignments, tests, essays, art, and finals. Everything coming with nagging deadlines. Since I was falling behind in my independent art class, I whipped together a photography project that took practically no time at all. It was an unexpectedly fun project I did with my friend during a final. In the end, I found the grainy quality of the photos to have a certain preppy-grunge charm. Ever since first using the school's projector, I've been wanting to do a project like this. "Student Life" is about the frustrations of being a serious student. Dealing with grades, identity, and the future takes its toll on me, and I can see it does on other people too.  In the end, the pain of learning supersedes the pain of ignorance, but its still pain.

It's my first day of Christmas break, and my time is instantly filled with new obligations. Christmas, mostly. And Christmas Eve is this Wednesday. Never have I waited this long to do the shopping, but there's always a first time. This only means lot's of cooking, baking and merrymaking ahead. Needless to say, I won't be bored.

-M