Going to school at an Ivy is as chaotic as it is aesthetic. There are rough prelim-heavy weeks, midnight breakdowns and caffeine-induced headaches that make every second of the school year seem painful. These moments make the journey feel unbearable and raise a larger question: Why suffer through these hardships when there are much easier paths?
There are still many reasons to enjoy being at college. For one, this is the only time in most people’s lives where they will live a five-minute walk from their best friend. It is easy for the best parts of college life to be overshadowed by the things that make it hard. Which is why the key to maintaining happiness at Cornell is … to romanticize everything! This may be easier said than done, but honestly, sometimes the key to being happy is to fake it till you make it.
Imagine waking up in the morning and looking out the window at the beautiful Cornell campus before then getting ready to your favorite song. You leave your dorm feeling good because you just danced your way through your morning routine instead of just slugging through it. You pass people on the street and smile at them instead of looking down at your phone, and maybe you add in a nice compliment. You make a new friend. You stop at your favorite cafe to get an iced coffee and a muffin, and sit at a table in Temple of Zeus cafe, surrounded by beautiful architecture and statues. Sometimes the key to romanticizing life is looking at what is already right in front of you.
Cornell’s gothic architecture literally drips with the academia aesthetic — Willard Straight Hall’s bluestone exterior makes the building a striking addition to Ho Plaza, while the interior maintains a prestigious, scholastic look. The Gothics on West Campus give the view from the top of the slope an amazing landscape. The tall stone towers remain reminiscent of older times, overlooking generations of students coming to Cornell to excel. The older stone buildings contrast with the newer, more contemporary architecture, allowing students to dream up different realities depending on what they want their lives to look like, whether that be an 18th century princess or a character from Gilmore Girls.
It is really easy to be overwhelmed by our academics at Cornell. But doing well relies as much on mindset as it does on studying. It is important to make the act of doing problem sets, writing essays or doing practice exams less dreadful by romanticizing how studious you are so that you can find fulfillment in the work you are doing. Wear outfits that make you feel good, buy your favorite drink, take cute notes — every little purposeful decision you make to romanticize how you do work will help make your time at Cornell more enjoyable.
But, academics are not the only challenges requiring a change in mindset at Cornell. One of the biggest complaints about Cornell is that the weather is dreadful. As Cornell students, we experience a very rainy summer, a very cold winter and a very short spring and fall. Students also walk long distances to and from classes everyday, which poses a real challenge when there are week-long thunderstorms or wind so strong that it almost blows you away as you try to conquer the Slope.
However, one of Cornell’s greatest strengths is its beautiful landscape. Romanticize the view from inside the buildings as you look at the colorful leaves on all the surrounding trees. When you eventually have to face a walk in the snow, admire the way the snowflakes fall to the ground and recognize the journey it went on to go from the sky to your coat. The seasons are beautiful even if walking in them is not.
Being a student is difficult when you have to manage clubs, academics, work and daily life. But it is also beautiful. Shifting your perspective will allow you to find and embrace the beauty that exists at Cornell.
