For many college students, scraping by has become a way of life.
In my opinion, “scraping by” is a mentality in which one does as little work as possible to persist without considerable consequence. By consequence, I mean results, both beneficial and deleterious.
Consider a student studying for a test. This student might know that studying for 10 hours will lead to a good grade, but studying for five hours will earn a passing grade. A passing grade in the class is good enough for the student and his peers. Equally important, he realizes that not studying at all would lead to severe scrutiny, so he settles for the median hours of studying.
I don’t have a problem with people putting in an average amount of work from time to time. Such decisions can be ultimately beneficial in establishing balance between work and play or work and sleep, for that matter. Not to mention that I’ve been one to choose a long nap over an extraneous book or paper.
Nevertheless, I have a grudge with long-lasting mediocrity and complacency. I hold this grudge because I believe that the only way to facilitate the scraping-by mentality is the lack of foresight and long-term resolve.
The purpose of a college education is to provide important skills to cultivate and promote a sense of passion, both in an academic and an ecumenical sense.
How can I convince you to turn off your Xbox 360 and go to the library to read a random book? Simple: I won’t try. Instead, I might ask you to look more into video-game design, perhaps get a few friends together and set up video-game tournaments. Additionally, you could take a 3-D design course to learn more about how such video games are developed.
In my opinion, the only solution to interminable complacency with average aspirations is to embrace one’s passion. Not everyone would like to spend his or her entire week studying or writing papers. However, I’m sure that there is at least one lecture every semester that could be of particular interest to a student, so why not attend that particular lecture?
The solution to the scraping-by mentality is dichotomously simple in theory, but difficult in practical application. To stop scraping by, simply discover certain passions, cultivate and exercise them. This might require an initial influx of time and effort, but consider the possibilities. Using the video-game example: A 3-D design course could lead to a design minor or even major, or perhaps a complete change in career.
I’m not advocating that one going to a lecture in hopes of changing a life arbitrarily. Instead, I think it would be in the best interest of all to take a chance and see such activities as opportunities rather than burdens, possibilities instead of inconveniences.
Perhaps that way, learning to relinquish the scraping-by mentality won’t feel like work at all.
Rakesh Popli is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
