By Mary Ellison
Seeing the good in an 8 or 9 a.m. class is hard. Sometimes, it’s hard to haul myself out of bed for mine. My mattress is too comfortable; I’m too warm and cozy beneath the covers … but I still get up. Why? For starters, it helps that despite it being so early in the morning compared to any of my other classes this semester, I do genuinely enjoy my 8:40 a.m. Greek class. That certainly adds incentive. Otherwise, it comes down to the fact that I’ve found it easier to stay on top of things for the rest of the day by going to my first classes, no matter how early they are.
“Dark academia” is a popular internet subculture that romanticizes higher education and intense study during the “dark” fall and winter weather. As a Classics major, I’ve been pretty tied to dark academia since I found it as a high school Latin student. The culture considers the long hours spent poring over poetry or toiling over translations ideal. It’s good that you have a lot of schoolwork — and at a place like Cornell, we all have a lot of schoolwork, which makes it even more important to stay on top of things.
Taking enjoyment out of my walks to class is another motivator to keep up with my studies. I put on my headphones, make up a little queue of the songs I’ve been listening to recently (or the single song I’ve been looping manically), and take in the campus beauty as I walk. Being in nature does wonders for mental health and Cornell’s campus is so beautiful that it would be criminal not to take advantage of it, especially before the weather gets colder and bleak. A slight dissociation on the way to class never hurt anyone.
Similarly, it is important to take some time every day just to go somewhere comfortable, inside or outside, and relax, regardless of all the work you must do. Academic pressure and piles of schoolwork loom over us, but it’s hard to derive any peace of mind if we never take a step back and take some time away from it, even if it’s only 10 or 15 minutes. Go to Temple of Zeus, grab a coffee, sit on one of the benches lining the back wall (because chances are there won’t be any free tables), and do some people-watching. Find a friend and take a walk through the botanic gardens. Read a classic.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is a popular novel set at a fictional college that follows a group of students who commit murder. It is very popular in spaces that romanticize academia because the students are so invested in their studies that they lose touch with reality — one of them had no idea we had been to the moon. However, it is essential to note that The Secret History is a satire of an extreme. We shouldn’t become quite so obsessed with our academics to the point of pretentiousness, but in The Secret History, the aesthetic is there. The college setting with characters immersed in their studies captures readers and makes people want to emulate such an immersion in their lives. This isn’t a bad thing, but obviously, there is a line — a distinct one can be drawn at murder, for starters.
I love gray and overcast weather and prefer the cold, so I don’t suffer the characteristic seasonal depression that some of my friends do during the winter in Ithaca. However, even if you dislike the weather, I would argue there is still some potential to make the most of it. I think we as a society would benefit from being more whimsical, taking even the small things and positively construing them. Even as the sharp winter wind whips against your face, consider it a reminder that you are alive. You are here, at Cornell, studying among a cohort of incredible people — your peers.
Discovering new places on campus also keeps your mind busy and away from the anxieties we all face daily as college students. Changes in scenery can be good, so visit a library different from your usual haunt. Find a new study space in MVR or Willard Straight, or visit an on-campus café you’ve never tried.
While it is essential to like what you are doing in school, some of the best ways to romanticize your education or keep yourself from resenting your time here directly have nothing to do with your education. You should love your classes and want to continue learning, but what you do outside of classes and homework is a big part of what will keep you motivated and happy to continue doing what you are doing.
Mary Ellison is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences. She can be reached at [email protected].