The city is under snow.
A blanket of white covers my home town, Kansas City. This can make driving back to campus a logistical challenge due to of course the reality of the road conditions. Although the roads leading from Kansas through St. Louis and Louisville may become questionable, it doesn’t mask the nine hour journey one way.
I guess it’s a different mindset driving for distance by yourself as your torso is strapped into a formula one race car, or that’s at least what it feels like after your mother tells you to drive safely. You learn the road like the back of your hand, knowing the spots where highway patrol lurks patiently among the other drivers. Although this voyage remains relatively the same each trip, my thoughts seem to be different every time.
Like the Grinch, it’s easy to slip into insanity staring at the abyss of pavement that runs for miles and miles. Music can only get me so far as I feel my ears become numb only a couple hours in. Downing six energy drinks in a four hour sitting could do the trick, just facing the realization of crashing once you reach campus comes to bite you in the butt. Finally, sunflower seeds seem to keep me alert on the road but I feel my older self would regret going through two whole bags, injecting pure sodium into my bloodstream.
That leaves me with my thoughts and determination to reach my destination. Of course driving from Kentucky to back home, the excitement to see family drives my trip. Now driving from home back to campus is something I feel everyone can relate to. The mindset reaching campus for another stretch of academic hardship lingers in the brain of anyone driving nine hours down to only 30-minutes.
I have to mentally prepare to climb back down into the bunker on a classroom battlefield for a couple more weeks till the university can dismiss us students to return home. My plan of attack begins to form as my foot presses aggressively on the acceleration pedal on Interstate-70.
Now beginning the drive, I map out all the assignments and projects I have procrastinated about over the Thanksgiving holiday. Turkey and cheesy potatoes became my priority rather than Professor Manieri’s final project. I know other students can relate to the start and stop feeling after returning from fall break, now returning from thanksgiving to finish the job in Wilmore. This above all else creates a whiplash effect, draining us college kids once again in the bunker looking out to the minefield ahead of us. Although this drive was different, I was looking out to the ice and snow covered highway now ahead of me.
Among the Missouri drivers camping in the passing lane, I pondered what encouragement I could create for myself and others faced with the final two weeks of the semester. These final couple of weeks seem to be greater than any test, the significance being a stamp of progress we have generated. My thoughts kept circling back to slowing down. Slowing down my speed so the tense Illinois State Trooper doesn’t pull me over to the side of the highway, but also slowing down my perspective.
Once I slowed down and looked at the big picture right in front of my face, the following stayed in my brain for the rest of the drive:
Take a second to look behind you because you wouldn’t be standing where you are without taking those steps and leaving those footprints behind you. Also take a look to your left and right to see who are the people walking and running beside you. Out of the corner of your eye you will see people who are still behind you trying to catch up. Finally take a look in front of you, run to the people who are already ahead of you. I feel like that’s how we grow in every aspect: mentally, physically and spiritually.
Among the hours of studying and preparation for finals, recognize these people. That’s what was on my heart, 540-minutes later.
540-minutes later
The city is under snow.
A blanket of white covers my home town, Kansas City. This can make driving back to campus a logistical challenge due to of course the reality of the road conditions. Although the roads leading from Kansas through St. Louis and Louisville may become questionable, it doesn’t mask the nine hour journey one way.
I guess it’s a different mindset driving for distance by yourself as your torso is strapped into a formula one race car, or that’s at least what it feels like after your mother tells you to drive safely. You learn the road like the back of your hand, knowing the spots where highway patrol lurks patiently among the other drivers. Although this voyage remains relatively the same each trip, my thoughts seem to be different every time.
Like the Grinch, it’s easy to slip into insanity staring at the abyss of pavement that runs for miles and miles. Music can only get me so far as I feel my ears become numb only a couple hours in. Downing six energy drinks in a four hour sitting could do the trick, just facing the realization of crashing once you reach campus comes to bite you in the butt. Finally, sunflower seeds seem to keep me alert on the road but I feel my older self would regret going through two whole bags, injecting pure sodium into my bloodstream.
That leaves me with my thoughts and determination to reach my destination. Of course driving from Kentucky to back home, the excitement to see family drives my trip. Now driving from home back to campus is something I feel everyone can relate to. The mindset reaching campus for another stretch of academic hardship lingers in the brain of anyone driving nine hours down to only 30-minutes.
I have to mentally prepare to climb back down into the bunker on a classroom battlefield for a couple more weeks till the university can dismiss us students to return home. My plan of attack begins to form as my foot presses aggressively on the acceleration pedal on Interstate-70.
Now beginning the drive, I map out all the assignments and projects I have procrastinated about over the Thanksgiving holiday. Turkey and cheesy potatoes became my priority rather than Professor Manieri’s final project. I know other students can relate to the start and stop feeling after returning from fall break, now returning from thanksgiving to finish the job in Wilmore. This above all else creates a whiplash effect, draining us college kids once again in the bunker looking out to the minefield ahead of us. Although this drive was different, I was looking out to the ice and snow covered highway now ahead of me.
Among the Missouri drivers camping in the passing lane, I pondered what encouragement I could create for myself and others faced with the final two weeks of the semester. These final couple of weeks seem to be greater than any test, the significance being a stamp of progress we have generated. My thoughts kept circling back to slowing down. Slowing down my speed so the tense Illinois State Trooper doesn’t pull me over to the side of the highway, but also slowing down my perspective.
Once I slowed down and looked at the big picture right in front of my face, the following stayed in my brain for the rest of the drive:
Take a second to look behind you because you wouldn’t be standing where you are without taking those steps and leaving those footprints behind you. Also take a look to your left and right to see who are the people walking and running beside you. Out of the corner of your eye you will see people who are still behind you trying to catch up. Finally take a look in front of you, run to the people who are already ahead of you. I feel like that’s how we grow in every aspect: mentally, physically and spiritually.
Among the hours of studying and preparation for finals, recognize these people. That’s what was on my heart, 540-minutes later.