January Answers

I suppose some context is required. I try to be what's called "well-read." Do I do it well? No. It doesn't hurt to try though. This would be my archive of answers to some questions posted on the Student Opinion column of The Learning Network. I have given up on formatting honestly, so enjoy reading this horrible slew of words if you decide to do so.

1. Do You Make New Year’s Resolutions? (3/1)

• Do you wait for significant events — the New Year, birthdays, or the beginning of the school year — to set new goals? Or, do you prefer to make small and incremental changes throughout the year?

My Answer:

1. At this point in life, I don’t even bother making New Year resolutions anymore. Mostly because I don’t actually follow them. I generally start goals whenever I want to, at whatever date. I don’t wait for a nice date or the next week either. If I have wanted to change, it was probably from an epiphany, and I probably have nothing to lose to start now. Maybe it’s the lack of impulse control but I don’t see the point in waiting to start something. If it’s not too major (which it rarely is, btw) you can just start now. I am working on making monthly goals a habit, but it is difficult because I have a life apparently.

2. How Do You Overcome Your Fears? (21/1)

• What strategies have you used to deal with your worries or dread? Do you state your fears out loud or recite mantras, like Ms. Gorman? How effective have these approaches been? What advice would you give others based on your own experiences?

My Answer:

1. I used to be the avoidant type but I think nowadays I just impulsively jump into whatever scares me. I would rather feel extreme pain or fear for a few seconds rather than constant dull pain or fear for a long time. I generally jump into fight or flight mode and apparently I fight. I am not sure if that’s innate, but it feels like a natural response to me. This is a recent development though. I am not sure what changed me but I changed.

2. Other than that, exposure therapy works. I read about it once from this cheap book from big bad wolf about phobias and it left a great impression on me. I used this for my fear of heights and it works.

3. I also just try to breathe. It works for some reason.

4. Obviously, I have not done anything nearly as cool or important as what Amanda Gorman did, but in her situation, I would probably read mantras too. Used to do that before my O-level BM orals, which I guess is similar.

5. My advice is, as usual, unreliable and bad, but it works for me and it might for you.

   1. I would say constantly putting yourself at some sort of risk is a great idea. If you're scared of something like talking to people, you can always just never meet them again if you embarrass yourself. I actually follow this philosophy too much, which is why I am okay with oversharing and talking to strangers. I can just never meet them again. Nothing is definite, just saying. If you do screw up let’s say, a speech, you can always try again. Why stop at one failure, when you can have many more? (This is actually what I sound like when giving advice.)

3. Have You Ever Jumped Into Ice-Cold Water? (25/1)

• How do you feel when you encounter cold water — whether an ice-cold drink, a cold shower, or a frigid swimming pool? Do you find it refreshing? Do you recoil at the cold? Use descriptive words to describe how your body reacts.

My Answer:

1. My impulse upon looking at any body of water is to jump in. I obviously don’t always get to always act upon it, but if I am, say, in the swimming pool, then yes, I jump.

2. I used to hate the cold. Sort of still do. It’s just not a great feeling. I feel cold all the time anyway.

3. After becoming severely depressed though, I always want to jump into the water, even if it’s cold. Not to die, but just to be in the water.

4. When you jump, you don't really feel anything with the impact. The cold isn’t shocking. It sort of devours you slowly. I know it’s heat that leaves you, but it feels like the cold is seeping into me. I generally just let go and let it until I need to come up for air. (You can do this without jumping I guess, but you get to sink lower when you jump.)

5. I sure do hope this isn’t just a manifestation of me wanting to disappear.