Don’t worry, be happy

Editorial Staff, Editors

It’s everywhere. In the halls, on phones, in classes, and even in our homes. Negativity is a disease that plagues us all. Days are filled with “Oh I don’t want to do homework”, “This day is too long”, “That is so dumb”, and so many other variations of negativity. Frankly, I’m fed up with it. People need to be happier about their lives! Life is not as doom and gloom as everyone wants to pretend they are. You woke up, you get see your friends (even if only for a brief moment), most importantly you get the chance to learn! Yes, some of it is entirely unnecessary, but if you never pay attention, you’re going to end up getting bad grades, which will just put you in a worse mood.
Beyond doing poorly in classes, negativity can have major effects on us. It stresses you out. It can be draining and can make people feel apathetic about things. It can even be harmful to our bodies as having an increased blood pressure can cause major damage to your heart. Is it really worth ruining your body to complain about having “a lot” of homework? Let’s be real for just a moment here. Assuming you paid attention during class and are using all of the resources available to you; an average night’s homework should take no longer than an hour or so. Yes, it’s important to have a little relaxation time and kick back, but just cut back two episodes of “The Office” each night and life will be a lot easier.
So, how does someone overcome this negativity? One big step is getting a good night’s sleep. You’ll feel a lot better when that alarm clock goes off in the morning, and you’ll have a lot more energy for the day.
Tip number two is going to be a little tough for some of you. Everyone loves their coffee (well, I actually hate the stuff, but I appear to be in the minority), but it could be hurting you more than it helps. Drinking coffee actually releases stress hormones in your body that increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and makes you tense. In the end, drinking tea or even just plain and simple water is a lot healthier for you.
The final tip, and don’t judge me too much, is to just be happy. Yes, it can be easier said than done at times but hear me out. If I’ve learned anything from my four years in high school, it’s that there is a lot of stuff that goes on that we let control our lives. People talking trash, not getting picked for something, trying to go after someone who just isn’t worth it. These are just three of many roadblocks you can run into. You can’t afford to get caught up in these things though. It causes all sorts of stress and sadness and, most importantly of all, it wastes time. I’m sure I got into it with some people freshman year and it probably took a lot out of me.
Looking back, I barely remember anything from that year, let alone trivial arguments. To wrap that all up, my biggest key to happiness is finding the difference between what is truly important and what will be forgotten. Make sure you don’t get caught in the latter. It’s not worth your health. Some things will happen to you or some people will just be idiots but sometimes you just have to breathe and move on. It helps.