February 2017
Every moment of every single day presents a series of options. What time to wake up, what route to take to work, what to do that day, how productive to be, how to behave, how to feel.
These choices are great because it makes us feel in control of our own lives. We get to select exactly what we want and want to do. On the other hand, they can also feel a bit overwhelming. There are some days when I just wish there was an easy way out and someone would come and tell me what to wear or what to eat. Sometimes I think taking the decision out of my hands would be easier because it removes the stress from my shoulders… However this would allow me to give up my free will and the ability to control the path of my life. In these moments, I can’t help but ask myself, “Where is the path of my life headed and why do I care?”
Everyone has a goal. Something to work towards. Something to reach for. A reason to get out of bed in the morning. Some people can have their goal clearly at the forefront of their mind, but sometimes the goal can seem far and unattainable. In graduate school, it can be hard to recall the reason for working so many long hours or to find the motivation to go into the lab.
But, reader, through all of the struggle for motivation and purpose, through those days where you don’t feel in control of your own life, there is one small phrase that may bring some respite: YOU HAVE A CHOICE.
Every single day, there is a decision to make. You can stay still, stagnant, and unfocused, or you can be productive and make something of today. You have the power to chart your own life. Sometimes, either on purpose or by accident, bad decisions will be made; these are no less important than good decisions. Free will has been exercised, and that itself is a beautiful thing.
It’s important to remember that you may not always be in control of a situation, but you do have control over how that event impacts you.
There is a decision to make: will you make today a great one?
Kelsey Fieseler | Mechanical Engineering
Kelsey Fieseler is a first-year Master’s student in Mechanical Engineering from Sugar Land, Texas.
These choices are great because it makes us feel in control of our own lives. We get to select exactly what we want and want to do. On the other hand, they can also feel a bit overwhelming. There are some days when I just wish there was an easy way out and someone would come and tell me what to wear or what to eat. Sometimes I think taking the decision out of my hands would be easier because it removes the stress from my shoulders… However this would allow me to give up my free will and the ability to control the path of my life. In these moments, I can’t help but ask myself, “Where is the path of my life headed and why do I care?”
Everyone has a goal. Something to work towards. Something to reach for. A reason to get out of bed in the morning. Some people can have their goal clearly at the forefront of their mind, but sometimes the goal can seem far and unattainable. In graduate school, it can be hard to recall the reason for working so many long hours or to find the motivation to go into the lab.
But, reader, through all of the struggle for motivation and purpose, through those days where you don’t feel in control of your own life, there is one small phrase that may bring some respite: YOU HAVE A CHOICE.
Every single day, there is a decision to make. You can stay still, stagnant, and unfocused, or you can be productive and make something of today. You have the power to chart your own life. Sometimes, either on purpose or by accident, bad decisions will be made; these are no less important than good decisions. Free will has been exercised, and that itself is a beautiful thing.
It’s important to remember that you may not always be in control of a situation, but you do have control over how that event impacts you.
There is a decision to make: will you make today a great one?
Kelsey Fieseler | Mechanical Engineering
Kelsey Fieseler is a first-year Master’s student in Mechanical Engineering from Sugar Land, Texas.