As finals approach, I am reminded of that hectic time in the year when students on campus are drowning their heads in textbooks and review packets, while others have their eyes become permanently fixated to the screen of their computer. It is around this time of the year when most people become most stressed and are reaching their breaking point. This is not to say that most students who are participating in these practices are ill equipped for finals, but moreover that most students are hoping to do well in finals and are more worrisome of their future. With the amount of studying, reviewing, writing, and so on, it can be easily said that a few bad days are not that hard to come by, and life can become quickly stressful.
People respond differently to stress, especially in college. Some people exercise their stress away, some find creative outlets for their stress like painting or drawing, and others might find comfort in video games or sports. Personally, I find my stress slips away while listening to music. Different levels of stress usually lead me to listening to different artists, however I consistently find myself coming back to Mac Miller.
I started listening to Mac Miller when I was 13 years old and quickly became a fan. As his music progressed, I found myself listening to more and more of his music. His music played an important role in my life from the positive times to the very low points in my life. The news of his passing in September hit me like a train. Mac Miller’s passing felt like losing a friend; someone you watched and listened to growing up and then suddenly was just gone.
Although his passing was very difficult at first, I began to reflect on some of the crucial lessons I learned from listening to Mac’s music for years. Mac Miller had a talent of always expressing positivity in his words and in his music, and could almost always be seen smiling whether he was performing for thousands of people or walking around amongst the general public. One of my favorite quotes shared by Mac states “Everyone has those days when you doubt yourself, and when you feel like everything you do sucks, but then there’s those days when you feel like Superman. It’s just the balance of the world. I just write to feel better.” Mac Miller’s main message behind this quote is that in life there are going to be strenuous and stressful times, but they are not permanent. The best thing we can do for ourselves is finding balance during these difficult times in our lives. For Mac Miller it was writing music.
I feel it is important to share Mac’s message on balance, because it is something everyone can take away from. Even more importantly as college students we may feel more prone to stressful and difficult times, while trying to find our way through this transitional point in our lives. It is the creative and positive outlets that are important to have during these stressful periods, in order to find balance. Stress is an important motivator, but it shouldn’t control one’s life. Holding in too much stress is unhealthy, and can negatively affect a student’s social life and academic life. Having outlets like going to the gym, taking a walk down main street, or reading a favorite book can all act as positive alternatives to distract ourselves from the stressful period some of us might be facing. Friends also play an important role in finding balance as going through difficult times should never be done alone. We owe it to ourselves as students becoming adults to keep ourselves healthy in finding these alternative outlets, while also making sure that these outlets are healthy and positive.
Another important part in remembering balance as stated before is that stress is a motivator. Stress is healthy in that it pushes us to finish. Stressing about completing a paper or project shows that there is care and intent for the assignment. Not stressing about finishing or completing an assignment shows that education doesn’t matter to that individual or that they do not prioritize their education as first. Stress also pulls us back in from our outlets, and remind us of what still needs to be done.
Overall, I believe that balance is an important factor in a student’s life, and is necessary to keep us functioning. While stress can be seen as helpful as it reminds us of our goals and responsibilities, it should not dictate and ruin our lives. Finding creative and productive outlets to help balance stressful times promotes a healthier lifestyle and a more enjoyable one as well. I think one of the most important observations to take away from Mac Miller in his music and in his life, is that nothing is forever. Life is going to be amazing at times and the worst at times. The important part is finding balance through outlets that keep us level and stable.