12.3.13

"Ten Thousand Hours"


Well folks, the home stretch is here. The final month of the 2012-13 academic year.

What?

The final month already?

It certainly came quickly. The odd thing is, if you're feeling the way I am these days, the end can't come quick enough. 


This isn't the first time I've talked about burnout or mental wellness. It might seem like a topic that is overdone and beaten to death, but really, can we truly say that we talk about mental health and well-being too much?

I sure hope not.

If anything, this is a subject that should be raised and talked about more often than not. Regardless of what we are talking about, whether it is burnout or depression, mental health is something all students should always be aware of.

Motivation is the first thing that goes for me around this time of the year and I almost always come back to music to keep my head screwed on tight and in the game. After all, music is always there for you. It isn't going to betray you or turn its back and ignore you when you need it. 

The thing I love about music keeping me together and sane is that, amongst many other things, there are two specific positives that it contributes to battling through the final weeks of the school year: 1) it provides the inspiration and motivation to keep working through the challenges; and 2) it can be a reassuring voice that relates to any confusing or conflicting thoughts.

When I think about it, music is my best friend. It doesn't judge me. It doesn't blame me for anything. It doesn't get mad at me when I make a mistake or say something stupid. It doesn't give up on me when I am not at my best.

Most importantly, music helps me to believe in myself during times when believing in myself maybe isn't the easiest thing to do. 

I typically like to impart some wisdom, share some thoughts or communicate a little bit of my own opinion when it comes to this column. Some weeks I'm the one who needs some extra encouragement so this week I'm going to pass on the knowledge that is keeping me going.

With that being said, I want to share with you a few lyrical lines of wisdom that have been getting heavy rotation on my iPod over the past few months. 

"Ten Thousand Hours" is the lead track off of the latest release from Seattle rapper Macklemore and his partner in crime, Ryan Lewis. 

"I stand here in front of you today all because of an idea," Mackelmore drops. "I could be who I wanted if I could see my potential and I know one day I'ma be him."

Fast-forward from the album's first beat to its conclusion, "Victory Lap."

"And they say, 'Don't forget where you come from. Don't die holding on to your words 'cause you know that you got a whole world to change but understand who you got to change first,'" Mackelmore belts out before going on to chronicle the trials and tribulations of his career before he finally found success. 

I guess when it all comes down to it, you can be whatever you want to be. Sure, a lot of kids are raised with these unrealistic "dream lots and dream big" thoughts, but what is wrong with dreaming big to keep yourself motivated? 

Chances are you won't get somewhere you want to be without dreaming big. So if it helps you keep your head up and to push on, I say dream big. There will definitely be some bumps in that road, but the potential reward at the end of it all will be worth the battle. 




As originally published in The Omega on March 13, 2013.

No comments: