Sunday, April 10, 2005

Senioritis?...hmmmm

Obviously, as seniors, we are feeling ready to move on. We are getting excited, nervous, anxious, antsy, and hopeful. We are looking to the future, whether it be one at the U of A or out of town. We are feeling unsure and yet strangely ready to step into the next phase of our lives. Mr. O'Hair identifies the transition and, as he also mentions, so do we. Only we give it a different name: senioritis.

I don't deny the feelings that accompany this "transition." I too feel anxious and excited, ready and hopeful. However, I have recently been overwhelmed by the presence of great bitterness, laziness and rudeness, all hidden under the guise of "senioritis." Does feeling unsure and nervous, but also excited, give anyone the right to treat people badly? Mustn't we still press on, seeking to proclaim Christ in our daily living?

Paul wrote "To live is Christ and to die is gain" because it was true for him. He sought to live each day fully for the sake of Christ and the Kingdom. He lived to glorify God. For him, each day was a race. But he wasn't racing for a temporal prize. He was racing for the eternal--life in Christ and with Christ. To live is Christ.

I feel sad because I see people acting so bitter and angry. We aren't running with excellence anymore. And I AM NOT saying that we must get A's on all our work this quarter (or that we ever should have). That is not the point at all. I'm tired of people thinking that I am a goody goody who thinks doing your best means getting straight A's. If you think that then I'm sorry. I don't think you ever truly knew me.

Be excellent in your atittude, in your treatment of others, in your adherence to authority. Most of all, be excellent in your faith. I don't believe "senioritis" is permission to give up and throw authority and committment out the window. I know that there are many feelings associated with being a senior. I'm not immune to them. But I also believe that Christ still holds us to our higher calling. To live is Christ. So why aren't we living each day for Christ?

3 comments:

M. Perkins said...

Did you have to mention laziness? Well now I feel guilty. I don’t know that I’ve been rude or bitter. Perhaps a little on-edge at times, but that’s for quite different reasons altogether… Of course, it’s probably all tied together.

In any case, I rather agree. I think the attitude change among myself and everyone is understandable… but not necessarily excusable.

“I'm tired of people thinking that I am a goody goody who thinks doing your best means getting straight A's.”

I probably played into your becoming tired of that both by my direct joking about it and through how that probably indirectly encouraged that to become a running theme… one of those jokes that was never actually funny in the first place and only gets worse with use. In any case, I hope you understand that I am joking when I say that. In truth, it used to be 90% “just joking”, 10% “kinda believe it’s true.”… but not so anymore. I’m also trying to stop joking about that because I know it’s no longer amusing to you (not that it ever was)… (I’m also trying to cut out the joking about that unfortunate thrice-repeated incident with H-Dech/H-Diddy/H-Rane as my oft slow-to-catch-on brain is finally grasping that, ah-hah, it’s not funny to either of you).

In any case, I’m struggling with the issue of finishing well. “I’m not bitter or rude – well, not more than usual – so laziness is okay, right?” I don’t know what to say. I think at this point God is focused on other problem areas of my life… or is that another excuse? I don’t know.

Andrea said...

Haha. Thank you for your comment. And thank you for the apology. It didn't always really bother me that much but I have come to see that some people ONLY seem to see that Andrea. And I don't feel like its the real Andrea. You know me better, don't worry, I know that you are kidding. But thank you for the apology anyway :)

I didn't mean my blog to sound like I was accusing certain people. I really have our whole class in mind so I don't want people to necessarily think I am "aiming" at them...It is for all of us. I do think that finishing strong is important and I want this last month to be a growing one but I also want it to be an enjoyable one.

I love my friends so much. Despite the faults that we ALL have, I am still ever so confident that God is at work in our lives...And that he will be right up to the end. It is exciting to see where he will be leading us as we all step out in different directions.

Now that that's all said :)...Thanks again Mark!

hannah said...

andrea this is a really good blog. And i know we've talked about this already but i wanted to say i'm sorry to you again and everyone else for my "Senioritis." Thanks for putting up with me.