February: long days, dark days, cold days. It must be midterm season.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of tests and assignments we all have during this time of year. Especially during my first and second years at UTM, I found it difficult to stay positive and focus on the light at the end of the never-ending midterm tunnel.
Until I found The Book of Awesome and 1000awesomethings.com.
The Book of Awesome is the product of successful blog “1000 Awesome Things”, which was created by Neil Pasricha. Pasricha has been making readers smile by writing about the little joys in life since 2008. Simple things like sweatpants and the sun get shout-outs, as do hilarious ones like hearing a stranger fart in public and the Five-second Rule. Whether online or in print, Pasricha’s voice is relatable and moving. He has the ability to capture usual (and sometimes unexciting) things and turn them into the hidden gems of daily life.
Whenever I feel stressed, I flip through my copy of the book. Pasricha reminds me that there’s a lot to be happy about in life, even when I feel like crying. Because of The Book of Awesome and “1000 Awesome Things”, I find myself finding the awesome stuff that Pasricha points out in my daily life. I even started my own list, which includes, “Seeing someone else walk to the beat of the music you’re listening to”, and, “Writing an essay on a book you barely read, but getting a good mark anyway”. Try writing your own list—you’d be amazed at how many awesome things you can find when you put your mind to it.
Need more motivation? Try reading this post or this one as you continue through the remainder of the semester.
Keep it up! You’re almost there!
